Manila Standard - 2017 October 14 - Saturday

8 OUT OF 10 PINOYS TRUST DU30—PULSE ASIA

By John Paolo Bencito, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

VOL. XXXI • NO. 242 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

SWS, Pulse Asia poles apart on Rody ratings PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s trust and satisfaction ratings in two leading opinion polls seemed to be contradicting each other, analysts said Friday.

While both surveys were conducted around the same time, days after Duterte issued Proclamation No. 319 declaring Sept.

21 as a National Day of aProtest—the two polling firms results painted a different picture on the public’s sentiment towards Duterte, political analyst and De La Salle University Prof. Richard Heydarian said.

“We have two major polling firms — the one saying that there could be statistical relevance than average that the President’s support bases may be back tracking—while another one is saying that the support to President Duterte remains resilient. So bottomline of the two surveys, it’s contradictory,” Heydarian told the Manila Standard in Filipino.

In the latest Third Quarter Social Weather survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations from

MOST Filipinos continue to trust and approve of the country’s top officials, the latest Ulat ng Bayan survey from Pulse Asia released Friday said.

Despite public outrage over the death of several teenagers in police anti-drug operations and allegations of the President’s hidden wealth, Duterte was able to retain ma-

jority approval and trust ratings in the survey conducted from Sept. 24 to 30, with face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults nationwide.

Eight out of 10 respondents said they approve of the President, and only 7 percent expressed their disapproval.

Fourteen percent were undecided.

Respondents from Mindanao and the class E income group gave Duterte his highest approval ratings at 92 percent and 86 percent, respectively.

Some 80 percent of those surveyed said they trusted Duterte, while only 6 percent said they did not.

The biggest trust scores

for Duterte came from his home region of Mindanao at 93 percent and from respondents who belong to the class E income group at 85 percent.

Also enjoying majority approval and trust scores, albeit lower, were Vice President Leni Robredo (57 percent and 55 percent, respectively) and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III (55 percent and 52 percent, respectively).

Faring less well were House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (47 percent and 49 percent, respectively) and Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (43 percent and Next page

PROFESSIONAL FACELIFT.

President Rodrigo Duterte urges media to remain committed to the truth during the relaunching Thursday of the newly renovated Malacañang Press Briefing Room at the New Executive Building. The relaunched press briefing room is now a sleek and posh multi-purpose room where a studio/stage is available for ‘talks.’ It’s 40-person seating capacity can be expanded to 50. Malacañang Photo

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Du30 threatens to jail Reds, other dissidents

By John Paolo Bencito and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday warned he would declare a revolutionary government and arrest all political dissidents, including the communists and opposition “yellow” forces should they continue with their efforts to destabilize his administration.

“If they try to destabilize and the situation becomes too violent, I will not hesitate to declare a revolutionary government until the end of my term. I will arrest all of you and we can go to a full-scale war against the Reds,” Duterte told his critics

in a television interview aired over state-run PTV4.

“If I think you’re about to take over the nation, and you have destabilized government like a new one would replace the current administration I am on guard,” he added.

In a related development, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said he had instructed the Senate’s IT Department to find out what security measures could be adopted to thwart a recurrence of the spread of fake e-mails sent from the hacked e-mail accounts of the Senate’s minority staff.

He also ordered the department to determine if such hacking could be stopped.

“Although I also haven’t seen any complaint from Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino about this, we already acted on it, having read it in the news,” Pimentel said.

Aquino, in a press conference on

Thursday, revealed fake e-mails he said were attempting to connect the minority senators to destabilization plots.

“Fake news has escalated to fake e-mails and digitally planted evidence,” Aquino said.

Duterte is confident the military will stick with him amid destabilization efforts by the Reds and the Yellows.

Duterte said the military was aware the Communist Party was active in the destabilization scheme, adding “Do you think the armed forces and police will sympathize with you after you’ve cheapened the lives of security forces with the [extrajudicial killings]?”

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PH ready to end ties with UN, EU—Rody

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to cut its ties with the European Union after the United Nations and the European Union criticized his administration’s campaign of war against drugs.

“I am prepared to lose all diplomatic relationships with all of European countries now. Do not ever ever come to the Philippines, you’re not allowed to enter here now,” Duterte said in an interview aired over staterun PTV4 Friday.

Despite Malacañang’s claims he was fed with the wrong information, the President, in his speech in

Dumaguete City also on Friday, stood by his threats to expel the European envoys, saying he had the right to do it.

If the European Union were indeed sincere, they should have already disowned the visit of a supposed group of European parliamentarians much earlier, Duterte insisted.

President Duterte said he would be glad to sign the resignation letter on the democratic relationship as long as the countries China, Russia, Eastern Europe and Asean will stick to the Philippines.

“I will be glad to sign a letter of resignation of our Next page

Mayor Sara strikes back at Trillanes: Show your balls DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said Friday opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV must first prove his claim on the Dutertes’ allegedly questionable bank accounts rather than ask them to prove him wrong.

“Since we now have established the lying, prove to everybody that the piece of paper of bank accounts you are waving around is not fake, Pinocchio,”

Duterte-Carpio said in a Facebook post a day after he slammed Trillanes and two other critics of her father.

Duterte-Carpio did not specify which bank accounts she was referring to, but it could be recalled that, in October, Trillanes told reporters that President Rodrigo Duterte’s common-law wife and his three adult children received a combined total deposit of P118.176 mil-

lion allegedly from Davao-based businessman Samuel Uy. As basis, Trillanes showed “verified” bank documents on the alleged transactions from Oct. 11, 2011 to April 10, 2013.

In February, Trillanes also provided reporters with alleged transaction records of the bank accounts that the Next page Dutertes owned.

EUROPEAN MEDDLING. EU ambassador Franz Jessen (center right) meets with MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim (center left) with EU member states ambassadors on Oct. 2, the latter expressing support for the peace process through all available means, a few days before President Rodrigo Duterte, in a television interview , threatens to cut the Philippines’ democratic links with Europe for, in his words, meddling with the country’s internal affairs. Mark Navales

‘Final assault’ on Marawi set Hands-off to get Hapilon dead or alive tack shifts drug targets

DANCING FOUNTAIN. Right in front of the Valenzuela City Hall is this state-of-the-art fountain intended to attract visitors and passers-by in the 119th largest city in the Philippines, 14 kms north of the national capital of Manila. Andrew Rabulan

Bautista quit bid accepted; impeachment ‘mooted’ PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said he already accepted the resignation of Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista even before Congress decided to

impeach him.

The President admitted he was surprised when the House overturned the resolution of the committee on justice, which earlier junked the imtwitter.com/ MlaStandard

peachment complaint against Bautista.

He said the impeachment complaint could be deemed moot, since “by resigning, he [Bautista] has removed himfacebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

S

self” from office.

On Wednesday, with a vote of 137-75 and 2 abstentions, the House voted to impeach Bautista, overturning a justice committee resolution.

Next page manilastandard.net

FIGHTING intensified Friday as the Army Scout Rangers launched a final assault to seize Abus Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon in Marawi City.

A report on GMA-7’s News TV Live quoted military officials as saying they wanted Hapilon dead or alive, adding that troops have cornered the terrorists.

A security cordon has been thrown around the remaining terrorist-held area in the city to keep reinforcements from reaching the remaining Islamic State-inspired fighters, and to keep the bandits from escaping through Lake Lanao.

Col. Romeo Brawner, commander of Task Group Ranao, said Maute terrorists were using liquefied petroleum gas tanks and unexploded ordnance to

fight off advancing government troops.

Brig. Gen. Cirlito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, meanwhile, said three members of the Abu Sayyaf group surrendered to authorities with their highpowered firearms Friday morning.

They were under Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Asbi Misuari who had earlier surrendered to JTF Sulu.

Sobejana said the three surrendered because of a leadership vacuum as their leader Alhabsy Misaya was killed in a shootout with government troops in Parang, Sulu.

He added that the sustained military campaign against the Maute terrorists had taken its toll on the terrorists.

By John Paolo Bencito and Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Friday said that he was taking a hands-off approach and leaving the job of prosecuting the war on drugs to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to satisfy his critics, who have denounced the rising death toll.

At the same time, however, he said he was not washing his hands of the responsibility for the death of thousands of drug suspects at the hands of the police, who have now been taken Next page

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017

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3 nations set air patrols to fight off ISIS incursion K

UALA LUMPUR―Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines will begin coordinated air patrols off the strife-torn southern Philippines next month to combat the growing threat posed by Islamist militants, an official said Friday.

The neighbors had alFears have been growready launched joint sea pa- ing that the Islamic State trols four months ago in the group is trying to establish same area, the Sulu Sea. a Southeast Asian outpost

in the southern Philippines after gunmen waving the jihadists’ black flag occupied the Muslim city of Marawi in May. They have fought off a US-backed military assault for almost five months and the conflict has left hundreds dead.

There have also been a spate of kidnappings in the Sulu Sea by the Abu Sayyaf, a Philippine Islamist mili-

tant group.

A ceremony to announce the patrols was held Thursday at Subang air force base outside Kuala Lumpur and was attended by defense ministers from the three countries.

A Malaysian defense ministry spokeswoman said the patrols were aimed at combating the threat from “Daesh [IS], piracy and sea robberies.”

The countries will take turns to lead the patrols, with Malaysia starting in November, followed by the Philippines in December and Indonesia in January.

In a speech at the ceremony, Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said some $40 billion in trade passed through the Sulu Sea every year and no single country could police the waters alone. AFP

tion plot. Those behind the hacking and fake e-mails are the true destabilizers.

They want chaos in the Philippines.”

Aquino said the accounts of some staff members had been used to send dubious e-mails containing controversial subject lines like “Leaked Media Plan to Destroy PRRD” and “The Investigation on DDS,” together with an attached file.

“It is also possible that these files, which prompt an error when opened, are being used to gain control of the device or fish for information,” Aquino said.

The minority senators have reported the issue to the National Bureau of Investigation, Department of Information and Communi-

cations Technology and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to determine the people behind the hacking and the spread of destabilization rumors.

A total of five e-mail accounts have been hacked: two from the office of Aquino and three from the office of Senator Francis Pangilinan.

“We should know who are behind this and hold them liable. These people should go to jail because what they did was a crime,” Pangilinan said.

The Liberal Party senators have criticized the administration for continually insisting that the party had a plan to destabilize the government.

Liberal Party president

Pangilinan stressed that airing criticisms and their sentiments were the foundations of democracy and should not be considered destabilization against the government.

Aquino said top government officials should stop floating news about destabilization as the Armed Force of the Philippines had declared it had monitored no moves to oust Duterte.

Senator Franklin Drilon said the administration should be open to criticisms and use these to improve governance and not consider them as destabilization moves.

“The administration needs to learn to take criticisms as these can also help improve ways of running the country,” Drilon said.

tional Day of Protest, had sampling error margins at ±3 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.

The Pulse Asia survey was markedly different from the Social Weather Stations survey that showed an 18-point decline in President Duterte’s approval rating and a 15-point drop in his trust rating.

The same survey showed most Filipinos are satisfied with Robredo’s performance.

Robredo’s net satisfaction rating stayed good, at +41 in September, up by 5 points from +36 last June.

Pimentel’s net satisfaction rating rose to a personal hight with a good +46 in September, with 60 percent saying they were satisfied and 14 percent saying they were not.

Pimentel’s net satisfaction in the SWS survey was up by 13 points from +33 in June.

Alvares, on the other hand, suffered a one-grade drop in his net satisfaction rating from moderate to neutral, at a personal low of +8 in September, with 34 percent say-

ing they were satisifed with the Speaker, and 26 percent saying they were not.

Alvarez’ net satisfaction fell 8 points from +16 in the previous survey period.

Sereno’s net satisfaction rating also fell one grade from moderate to neutral, at +9 in September, with 35 percent saying they were satisfied and 26 percent saying they were dissatisfied.

Sereno’s net satisfaction was down by 12 points from +21 last June.

The September 2017 Social Weather Survey had sampling error margins of ±2.5 percent for national percentages.

Pimentel said he believed the latest Pulse Asia survey showing most Filipinos trusting the President was accurate.

“I can also feel the support for the President spontaneously from the people I meet,” he said.

Pimentel said he was happy about his own ratings, and credited it to the cooperation, support and hard work of his fellow senators.

“And maybe, just maybe, the favorable coverage of the Senate media,” he said.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the survey showed most Filipinos continue to trust the President, but said all studies should be analyzed carefully and be used to attune the policies and programs to the needs of the people. The basic problems of poverty and impunity still persist, he added.

Another ally of the President, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, said ithe survey ratings of the President will go up or go down, but he was elected by the people for a term of six years.

He said a snapshot of public sentiment at a given time was bound to change from time to time.

In the House, Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles welcomed the latest Pulse Asia results, “which showed undeniable proof that the public continues to hold President Rodrigo Duterte in high regard.”

lapses in addressing the drug war.

“That’s presumptive to think that it’s a graceful coverup. It’s simply a response to a situation. If it were a business, it’s a corporate decision,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a Palace news briefing Friday.

Abella said Duterte’s latest order was meant to make the Filipino people “more comfortable” as the administration’s crackdown on narcotics remains relentless.

“If the perception is that the PDEA would be more acceptable in doing the campaign, waging the campaign, then let’s see how it goes. That was the tenor of the President’s statement,” he added.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Friday said that he believed that the petition filed before the Supreme Court questioning the legality of President Duterte’s bloody war on drugs will not prosper.

Aguirre told the reporters that the petition filed by Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) representing the alleged victims of Duterte’s

anti-drug campaign may be rendered as moot since the President already removed the police from implementing the anti-drug campaign.

The group also criticized a Department of Interior and Local Government program to enable people to anonymously report drug suspects to the police.

Diokno said the project “violates the right to due process of law and to be presumed innocent.”

“You can report any person, even if they are completely innocent. It does not require evidence, only names. This is just like during the Japanese occupation or the rule of Nazi Germany,” he said.

PDEA chief Aaron Aquino warned Friday that the war on drugs would be pursued less intensely because his office lacks the needed manpower.

“I know the public has high expectations but I am asking the public for understanding because of our limitations,” he said in a radio interview.

Amid unprecedented scrutiny of police conduct, Duterte

issued a memorandum on Tuesday ordering police to withdraw, but “maintain police visibility, as a deterrent.”

The authorities on Thursday said the shift in strategy was to go after big-time drug syndicates.

In a tirade on Thursday loaded with profanity aimed at his foreign and domestic critics, Duterte said deaths during PDEA’s operations were far less than police, and hoped “bleeding hearts” would be satisfied with his decision.

PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa said the police were winning the campaign, with supply slashed and 113,000 arrests.

He added that the President was just following the law when he transferred the antidrug campaign to the PDEA. Dela Rosa speculated it was possible Duterte was responding to opinion polls that showed some public unease about the crackdown. A poll on Sunday showed a significant slide in Duterte’s ratings, although he still remains popular. With Bill Casas

Du30...

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Duterte said his move to declare a revolutionary government was the same as what then President Corazon Aquino, whom he tagged as the “heroine of the yellows” did, soon after the Marcos regime.

Unlike Marcos, Dutete sees a revolutionary government as a more practical step since this eliminates the need for the President to report to Congress.

When then President Marcos declared martial law in 1972, he did by virtue of his powers as commanderin-chief of the armed forces vested in him by the 1935 Constitution, after he called on the troops to quell a rebellion and suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus—all steps given the

incumbent chief oif state by the Charter.

Marcos lifted the emergency in January 1981, three months before the presidential elections where he trounced former Defense Secretary Alejo Santos.

Aquino said the fake emails were found in the draft and spam folders of employees in an attempt by hackers to connect the opposition to the destabilization plots against the government.

“We decided to share this with the public because a lot of pro-administration personalities and online supporters alike are spreading fake news of a destabilization plot by the Liberal Party,” Aquino said.

“We have no destabiliza-

PH...

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democratic relationship. I will write that letter...as long as we have China, Russia and Eastern Europe. (And with) the Asean countries, we’ll always stick together,” Duterte said.

The President claimed Britain offered money but the Philippines refused.

But only hours after the fiery speech, his spokesman said Duterte incorrectly based his threat to expel European ambassadors within 24 hours on news reports, and there were no plans to kick them out.

Duterte threatened in a fiery speech on Thursday to quickly send European envoys home as he accused their governments, without citing evidence, of plotting to have Manila “excluded” from the UN. “You think we are a bunch of morons here. You are the one. Now the ambassadors of those countries listening now, tell me, because we can have the diplomatic channel cut tomorrow. You leave my country in 24 hours, all, all of you,” Duterte said.

Duterte’s spokesman, Ernesto Abella, issued a statement on Thursday night confirming the eviction threat but on Friday told reporters there had been no orders to send them home.

“There is no directive to do that,” Abella told reporters when asked if European ambassadors should leave.

Abella said the presidential outburst was triggered by media reports about a small group of European lawmakers and aides who came to Manila and held a press conference on Monday condemning the Philippines’ deadly drug war.

“Basically he (Duterte) was reacting to what he was reading,” Abella said, adding later that the president was “assuming” the reports were correct.

“So basically it’s a lesson for us also for the need for critical reporting and reading of the news.

So the president reacted as any leader would when national sovereignty is violated. So we call upon also for the media to heed his request for correct reporting.” Macon Araneta,with AFP

44 percent, respectively).

While the performance and trust ratings of the President and the vice president were essentially unchanged between June and September 2017—other top national government officials experienced marked movements in their own ratings both at the national level and across geographic areas and socio-economic classes, the polling firm said.

Among the key developments that dominated the headlines in the days leading up to the survey period were the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation into the shipment of illegal drugs worth P6.4 billion that slipped through the Bureau of Customs, the death of minors at the hands of Caloocan City police and claims by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV regarding Duterte’s alleged questionable wealth.

The nationwide survey, conducted after Duterte issued Proclamation No. 319 declaring Sept. 21 as a Na-

Hands-off...

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off the assignment that has been transferred to the PDEA. In his speech Thursday, Duterte said he hoped a shift to target big networks in his war on drugs would satisfy “bleeding hearts” and interfering Western states fixated on the high death toll in his brutal crackdown.

Duterte earlier directed the PDEA to be in charge of his drug war to target “higher echelons of the syndicates, as well as their protectors in government.”

The President likewise admitted he stands to lose all the gains made in the drug war by pulling out all government agencies involved in the campaign.

“Me frankly? I say we’ll lose it,” he said.

While he is confident of the competence of PDEA chief Aaron Aquino, Duterte remained wary whether the agency can cope, now that it is the sole agency leading the drug war.

The Palace on Friday denied allegations that Duterte pulled the PNP from the job as a “graceful coverup” for its

US, Sokor in show of force SEOUL―The United States and South Korea will kick off a major navy drill next week, the US navy said Friday, a fresh show of force against North Korea over its missile and nuclear tests.

The tensions over North Korea’s weapons program have soared in recent months with Pyongyang launching a flurry of missiles and conducting its sixth and most powerful nuclear test in defiance of multiple sets of UN sanctions.

The United States has since ramped up the military drills with South Korea and Japan, its two closest regional allies in the region.

In a statement, the US 7th Fleet said the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier and two US destroyers would take part in the drill alongside South Korean Navy vessels.

The exercise, slated for Oct. 16 to 26 in the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea, would promote “communications, interoperability, and partnership,” the statement added.

The move will likely rile

Pyongyang, which had previously warned against any coming joint exercises.

“If US imperialists and the South Korean puppets ignite a nuclear war of aggression against us, it would only advance their own demise,” the state-run KCNA news agency said.

There has been a flurry of US military hardware movement around the Korean peninsula in recent days.

On Friday, the nuclearpowered USS Michigan submarine arrived in South Korea’s southern port of Busan, according to Yonhap news agency, just days after another nuclear-powered submarine―the USS Tuscon―left after a fiveday visit.

Earlier this week, the US flew two supersonic heavy bombers over the Korean peninsula, staging the first night-time joint aviation exercises with Japan and South Korea.

That mission came 17 days after four US F-35B stealth fighter jets and two B-1Bs flew over the peninsula. AFP

Bautista...

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Bautista came under fire after his estranged wife Patricia accused him of amassing up to P1 billion in ill-gotten wealth that was not included in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

On Friday, Patricia’s lawyer, Lorna Kapunan, said if Bautista resigns or is ousted through impeachment, he would still be facing a plunder complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Kapunan said they will also file criminal cases against the poll chief, his mother, sister, brother, lawyer Nilo Divina, the Smartmatic, Luzon Development Bank, among others, for plunder, bribery, graft, corruption, money laundering, recovery by the government of ill-gotten wealth and tax evasion.

“Yes we will file the plunder case,” she said. “The impeachment will only remove him from his position.”

On Wednesday, Bautista announced that he will resign by the end of the year.

But shortly after his announcement, the House of Representatives voted 137-75-2 to impeach Bautista.

Kapunan said, in the meantime, they are awaiting for the results of the probe being conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation against Bautista.

Earlier, all six Comelec commissioners called on Bautista to either take a leave of absence or resign, saying he “can no longer effectively lead the commission”.

Bautista was appointed by former President Benigno Aquino III as Comelec chairman on April 28, 2015. His term was supposed to expire Feb. 2, 2022.

The House committee on justice on Friday said it will conduct a case build-up to ensure a solid impeachment case against Bautista.

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, the committee chairperson, said the committee would want to elevate to the Senate a credible Articles of Impeachment against the poll chief, who said he could explain the allegations of alleged ill-gotten wealth. John Paolo Bencito, Maricel V. Cruz and Sara Fabunan

SWS...

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September 23 to 27 with 1,500 respondents but was released Sunday, Duterte’s net satisfaction ratings slipped to “good” +48 from June’s “very good” +66 — with 67 percent of adult Filipinos satisfied with Duterte’s performance, while 14 percent were undecided, and 19 percent were dissatisfied.

In a related development, the camp of Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said on Friday the huge decrease in her ratings was expected, given all the “incessant attacks” and “vicious smear campaign” thrown against her.

Chief Justice’s spokesperson Josa Deinla said regardless of the survey results, Sereno would continue to fulfill her duties and constitutional mandates.

“The incessant attacks and vicious smear campaign against Chief Justice Sereno are expected to affect her net satisfaction ratings,” Deinla said.

She cited for the past months, Sereno has been publicly vilified to justify attempts to unseat her on the basis of unfounded allegations.

“Which are not even impeachable offenses under the Constitution,” Deinla said.

Last week, the House committee on justice ruled it found “sufficient grounds” to impeach Sereno, even without detailing point-by-point the issue raised against her by petitioner Lawyer Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon.

“As the country’s top magistrate, Chief Justice Sereno will continue to fulfill her duties and constitutional mandate regardless of survey results,” Sereno’s spokesperson said. John Paolo Bencito and Sara Fabunan

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Duterte-Carpio said Trillanes only had the guts to make his claims because he was protected by parliamentary immunity.

“You have the guts to say that we are a family of murderers and thieves, yet you hide behind parliamentary immunity. Show your balls, don’t hide them in Senate,” DuterteCarpio said.

She said if Trillanes made former Vice President Jejomar Binay go away without a fight, a Bisaya woman would not step back.

“If I can fight the President of the Philippines, why not you?” Duterte-Carpio said.

Earlier, Duterte-Carpio called Trillanes and two other senators “plastic and opportunists” as they had once sought help from her family during past campaign seasons.

But Trillanes replied that, at the time, he was unaware that her father “was a killer and a thief.”

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017

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Lower budget for social services scored

By Macon ramos-araneta

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ENATE Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Friday questioned the minimal increase in the 2018 proposed budget of agencies that deliver social services to supposedly reduce poverty in the country, compared to those in the infrastructure sector

“If we are to believe administration, as enuncithe policy thrust of this ated by the good sponsor,

to address poverty alleviation, there appears to be a disconnect between the increases in the budget of the social services sector and the infrastructure sector,” Drilon said.

He noted that the Department of Social Welfare and Development proposed budget for next year had the lowest increase while the infrastructure sector will enjoy a tremendous increase.

He said the Department

of Public Works and Highways will enjoy a 40.3-percent fiscal boost because of the administration’s “Build, Build, Build” policy but agencies involved in social services will only receive an increase of less than 10 percent, as follows: DSWD - 6.2 percent Department of Education - 8 percent and the Department of Health 8.4 percent.

He also pointed to the huge slash in the budget of

housing agencies—from from P15.3 billion this year to P4.7 billion or 70 percent in 2018.

The opposition senator earlier proposed to restore the housing budget and get the money from the huge intelligence funds of the Office of the President.

Senate finance committee chairman Senator Loren Legarda, who sponsored the DSWD budget, explained that social services “will continue

to receive the biggest bulk” of the 2018 budget.

“In nominal terms, the social services [sector] will continue to receive the biggest bulk [of the national budget] at P1.42 trillion with a 5.44-percent increase,” she said.

Legarda added that the increased budget for infrastructure would create more jobs and livelihood opportunities.

She welcomed any proposed amendments that

would channel more funds for social services. She also vowed to support the expanded coverage of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, pending the DSWD review validate the 4Ps records. The proposed DSWD budget for 2018 does not provide additional funds for more 4Ps beneficiaries.

4Ps is the primary antipoverty scheme of the government that currently covers 4.4-million households.

Despite rejection, Ubial wants to stay in govt

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

NO TO COAL MINING. Piglas Pilipinas, composed of different organizations, hold an action protest in front of JP Morgan Chase at the BGC to call on the company to stop funding coal mining in the country and to remind it that communities suffer from the effects of the ‘dirty’ energy projects they are funding. Lino Santos

SAYING she still believes in President Rodrigo Duterfe and his leadership, former Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial whose ad interim appointment was rejected by the Commission on Appointmets expressed her willingness to serve the government in whatever capacity.

Speaking in an interview over ANC on Thursday, Ubial said that if given an appointment, she can go back to the Department of Health because there’s nothing in that law that bars her since she is qualified.

But righr now, Ubial said she does not have an appointment after the powerful congressional body turned down her appointment as DoH secretary.

“Now maybe the other rejected secretaries cannot go back because they don’t have the qualifications for the other positions. Because it’s when you’re secretary then it’s just the trust and confidence and appointment of the President that will qualify you for the position but because I’m a CESO (Career Executive Service Officer) I qualify for any position in government,” Ubial said.

Civil Service Commission Assistant Commissioner Ariel Ronquillo confirmed that Ubial needs an appointment for a different position to go back to the service.

While she is now out of government service after losing her stint in government, she can return to the service being a career official.

House Customs exceeds collection target for September, earns a record P39.545b revives mandatory tree-planting

By Vito Barcelo

By Maricel V. Cruz A PANEL in the House of Representatives has advocated for the mandatory planting of trees in urban and countryside parks.

The House committee on reforestation approved House Bill 4002, authored by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Maximo Rodriguez, which addresses the fast depletion of trees and forest areas in the country.

“There is depletion despite the efforts of various government institutions such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources which has 293 nurseries distributed all over the country to provide seedlings nationwide,” Rodriguez said.

The program on mandatory tree planting was implemented during the Marcos administration.

Rodriguez said the Philippines was once known for its vast and lush forests.

“Over the last 15 years, the environmental situation of the country has undergone a transformation,” he said.

The proposed “Greening Act of 2016” aims to develop and maintain forest parks in provincial, city and municipal plazas, elementary school grounds, and to boost planting of trees in national, provincial, municipal or barangay roads and other public open spaces where appropriate.

It also seeks to promote environmental consciousness among the community members—the students, youth, and other civic action groups—by encouraging their active participation in treeplanting activities.

THE Bureau of Customs has exceeded its September target collection, earning P39.545 billion, the highest collection achieved for a month based on records.

Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña likewise said that the bureau posted more than P3 billion in collection for two consecutive days of the previous

month based on the Financial Service’s preliminary collection report—a first in the history of the agency.

He said that on Sept. 28 and 29, the BoC collected a total of P3,316.889 and P3, 193,804 respectively. The three-billion figure is the first in the collection performance history of the bureau, the country’s second largest revenue generating agency.

“The Bureau is happy to report that we were able to make significant improvements in terms of collection. We were looking at the financial reports dating back 2010, and our director for financial service, Cecile Soriano reported that indeed this is the first in BoC history, even if we reviewed records farther back 2010,” he said.

According to the Customs chief, the improve-

ment of the collection performance is attributed to 20.92-percent increase in valuation compared to last year of the same period.

The bureau was able to collect duties and taxes for September based on the total dutiable value of imports amounting to P420, 204, 629 compared to the assessed dutiable value of P347, 504,895 of the same month in 2016, despite the higher percentage of non-dutiable of 84.5

percent from the 81.2 percent in 2016.

It may be recalled that Lapena called on all district collectors, examiners and appraisers to apply the correct valuation instead of using benchmarking.

September figures also indicate a year-on-year increase of 14.71 percent in terms of volume of imports.

In September 2016, there was a total of 8,504,422 kilograms of imports while

current volume posted 9,755,082 kilograms.

In the past, there were monthly collections higher than P39.545 but those were total collections that include the tax expenditure fund.

TEF is the revenue collected from government importations and are not paid in actual cash by the agencies but instead credited by the BoC from the agencies’ budget.

IN BRIEF Ban licensing of fishing boats, Pamalakaya asks Tiangco

DEBRIEFING. Members of the Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group gather at Camp Karingal in Quezon City for debriefing prior to their deployment for the coming Asean Summit. The group headed by HPG Sub-Task Group Convoy P/SSupt.

Marlon Madrid with about 394 motorcycle units and 201 patrol cars will be deployed for the event. Manny Palmero

DAR campaigns vs illegal sale, transfer of lands

By Rio N. Araja AGRARIAN Reform Secretary Rosalinda Bistoyong has launched a massive campaign dubbed “Kampanya Kontra Ariendo” in La Castellana, Bacolod City to address the rampant engagement of farmer-beneficiaries in illegal sale, transfer and lease of their awarded lands or the local practice of “ar-

riendohanay.”

Citing the data culled by the Department of Agrarian Reform’s Negros Occidental South, she said the province was able to cover and distribute a total of 10,537 landholdings comprising 169,219.599 hectares to 73,406 beneficiaries.

“Unfortunately, out of 73,406 agrarian reform beneficiaries, only 28 percent or

20,751 of 73,406 agrarian reform beneficiaries were properly documented and profiled

by DAR,” she added.

To address the rampant “arriendohanay,” DAR Negros Occidental 2 has intensified its campaign to remind the farmer-beneficiaries of the condition under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program prohibiting any sale, trans-

fer, lease or any other form of conveyance by the beneficiaries of awarded lands within 10 years.

This DAR-initiated campaign came into force after data showed that as of Oct. 4, a total of 639 landholdings comprising of 16,598.1286 hectares were illegally leased, sold, conveyed and transferred by 8,145 beneficiaries.

FORMER Anakpawis Party-list solon and now national chairperson of the fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas Fernando Hicap urged Navotas City Representative Tobias “Toby” Tiangco to suspend the registration of fishing boats in his city.

Pamalakaya said that the fisherfolk does not need to pay to get their boats registered to contribute to the fish production of the country’s “fishing capital”.

Hicap, a former colleague of Tiangco in the House of Representatives, echoes the sentiments of the Navotas fisherfolk about the registration scheme under the amended Fisheries Code of 1998 or the Republic Act 10654 that poses heavy burden to them who hardly earn enough money for their daily needs due to high cost of fish production and deteriorating marine catch in Manila Bay. “Like the privilege plates that Congressman Tiangco wants to ban, we also urge him to lift the fishing ordinance in his city requiring municipal fishermen to acquire boat registration number from the local government,” Hicap said in a statement. Bill Casas

Bukidnon farmers press DAR on free land distribution WHILE the Department of Agrarian Reform is scrambling to negate and overturn all pro-farmer policies of former agrarian reform secretary Rafael “Ka Paeng” Mariano, about a hundred farmers from Bukidnon will start a two-week protest camp-out outside the DAR central office to press the current DAR leadership for the immediate installation of agrarian reform beneficiaries and the pursuance of free land distribution.

Farmer-beneficiaries from Bukidnon Free Farmers Association and Laborers Organization, Tried Agricultural Movers Association of Rural Active Workers, and the Landless Tillers Inhabitants of Musuan—collectively known as BTL—has brought their decades-long struggle for land outside the doorstep of the DAR. Bill Casas

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Opinion

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Adelle Chua, Editor

Surrounded by fools

T

HE President is one man; a presidency is defined by a number of people.

On Thursday, President Rodrigo Duterte told ambassadors of countries of the European Union to leave the Philippines in 24 hours for their unrelenting criticism of his war on drugs.

This is not the first time the President has uttered an outrageous, emphatic, divisive, objectionable statement. After more than a year, we have learned not to regard these words as absolute truth. We know now that soon after such statements are made, we will be told that it was

all a joke, that we should not interpret his worlds literally, that he really meant another thing, that he was overcome with emotion, that he was not feeling well.

That is exactly what happened.

This time, Malacañang spokesman Ernesto Abella said, it was the media’s fault. Because media reported that the EU wanted the Philippines expelled from the United Nations, the President became so choked up with anger that he wanted the diplomats out the door, pronto.

Media. Always the media. How terrible, how negative, how critical the media.

Ironically, just a few minutes before this outburst, the President was exhorting government workers

to provide accurate information.

“To my fellow workers in government, especially those who form part of the Communications Office, I enjoin you to remain committed to your duty to upholding the truth at all times. Never exaggerate, never misinterpret, never agitate as you communicate our platform of governance. In other words, do not be arrogant.”

But as these same officials pointed to the media as the culprit for Mr. Duterte’s latest embarrassment, we cannot help wondering: should we not take personal responsibility for the information we choose to believe and that which we reject?

Should not a chief executive be guided by his own good sense,

and, failing that, by impeccable complete staff work that his handpicked staff members executed.

His closest advisers, knowing his temperament and propensity to get carried away by what he reads, should resist the temptation to be Yes Men and Women. They are precisely there to advise him, enlighten him, tell him he is wrong, bring him back to earth and talk sense into him—not applaud him all the time, nodding their head like fools.

In their failure to deliver, the President looks even less credible, more unhinged, more desperate than ever.

This erosion of stature is the last thing he, and all of us, need in these dire times.

HAIL TO THE CHAIR VICTOR AVECILLA

The fake news phenomenon (Part 2)

Fr. Archie—ideologue and patriot POWER POINT ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO WE HAVE lost Fr. Romeo “Archie” J. Intengan, S.J., M.D. and I still cannot believe it.

Fr. Archie was loved, admired, and respected by everybody in groups belonging to the democratic socialist and social democratic movement. He was above the rivalry, bickering, jealousies, and intrigues present in any movement, political or otherwise. He was listened to by everyone.

I am lucky to have the opportunity to work closely with Fr. Archie for more than two decades. We were both in the Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas, the political party he co-founded with former

Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales. I was recruited to the “P” (as we called the PDSP) in 1987 after I resigned from my corporate job because I joined and supported the organizing of a trade union despite my management position.

Our union was affiliated with the Federation of Free Workers (FFW), then a stronghold of socdems and Christian democrats. From then onwards, my life’s direction drastically changed.

Fr. Archie was the ideologue. One cannot speak of the socdem and demsoc ideology in the country without mentioning him.

He was and remains to be most important in the ideological formation of many, including myself. Archie headed the PDSP Education Commission for as long as I can remember. He never got tired of teaching the

ideology we all embraced.

He was a mentor to me, my chosen P.O. (Political Officer.) To become members, we had to go through numerous sessions including Authentic Humanism, National Situation, Class Analysis, Comparative Ide-

The work must go on, he said.

ologies, etc.

I first met Archie when he came back from exile and shortly after the PDSP decided to surface from the underground. I was then involved in the setting-up of the first P office in Intramuros. I was an ordi-

nary “partidista” (P member) but because I worked closely with its Chairman (Bert Gonzales), I was in important meetings and gatherings. I have repeatedly witnessed Fr. Archie’s brilliance, compassion, bias for the poor, and love of country.

Nobody can question his patriotism. The passion was palpable every time he spoke of the country and how those in government abuse their powers.

He was against any form of oppression and has always prioritized being of service to the poor. He loved the country so much that his being a priest did not get in the way of his being an activist and party official.

Archie’s attention to detail was unmatched. He was a perfectionist.

Because he could not write in a straight line, he

would use a ruler as his guide. Even with the advent of computers, his handwritten notes were still done with a ruler.

He did not tolerate mediocrity in our work, especially written ones. He would politely request for rewriting, revisions, and editing until the grammar was perfect and PRECISE. Oh, how he loved precision!

In his lectures, he would even explain the Etymology of certain words.

I remember one time in a meeting, our general secretary, to stress a point, stood up and drew a map of a certain province. Archie could not help it, he also stood up, told GenSec that his map was wrong, and proceeded to draw the precise shape of that province. We all laughed because comrade GenSec could only look at Archie, smile, and scratch

his head.

While I was in the party, I also headed the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines. The PDSP and DSWP were partner organizations. While a good number of DSWP leaders were also “partidista,” not everyone was in the P in the same manner that not all women P members were with the DSWP. I rose from the ranks in the P. I eventually became a member of the Central Committee, then the Steering Committee, first as Chair of Foreign Affairs Commission, and then as Party Vice Chair.

I was already a feminist from the beginning and DSWP worked so Party documents reflected feminism. I will not forget how Fr. Archie supported us in our bid to add sexism as

DEVELOPMENTS in cyber technology and advancements in telephony have permanently altered the role of the mobile phone from a means of personal communication to a sophisticated multimedia device. Electronic news once confined to radio and television are now regular features in so-called “smart phones.”

Social media sites have also proliferated in cyberspace. Many of these sites host “bloggers” – personalities who disseminate their views to anyone and everyone in cyberspace who care to read or watch them.

At first, the comments found in these social media sites seemed like legitimate criticism of government officials and other public personalities.

Later on, the sites began featuring personal opinions, even unfounded or baseless ones, about anything under the sun. The remarks at these sites eventually took the form of libel and outright character assassination.

When these social media sites began to host so-called “cyber bullies,” Congress had to step in and enact legislation against cyber crime. The penal statutes had an additional entry: Cyber libel, or libel commited through the use of a computer or similar electronic device.

To deter the use of cyberspace for libel, the law increased the penalty for cyber libel by one degree.

This means that while one who is convicted for ordinary libel is entitled to probation and may not even see the inside of a prison cell, one who is convicted for cyber libel must spend time in prison.

Despite the latest law against cyber crime, the number of new cases involving cyber libel filed in the courts of law is ever increasing. During the 2016 national election, “trolls” proliferated on the internet. Trolls bashed anybody who expressed any sentiment against their preferred candidates.

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Opinion

ANOTHER big scandal is rocking corporate Japan.

This time it’s Kobe Steel Ltd., a major producer, which has confessed to faking data on the quality of its materials. Everything from bullet trains to cars to US-made airliners could be affected. It’s doubtful that the scandal will wreak lasting damage on Japan’s reputation for top-notch manufacturing quality—after all, every country’s industrial giants suffer this sort of debacle from time to time. But Kobe Steel does show that Japanese companies need better corporate governance. Along with recent accounting scandals and another cover-up at Toyota Motor Corp., as well as falsified data at airbag maker Takata Corp., the incident shows that Japanese companies need to work harder to catch these problems earlier, instead of just apologizing after it’s too late.

But preventing scandals and disasters isn’t the only reason Japan needs to improve corporate governance —it also needs to boost productivity. With an aging, shrinking population, and with women already having joined the workforce en masse, Japan’s best bet to keep its economy growing is to push its companies to update their management practices. And the best people to force Japanese managers to shape up are investors and independent directors.

This is the conclusion of some recent research by economists Naoshi Ikeda, Kotaro Inoue and Sho Watanabe of the Tokyo Institute of Technology. The researchers set out to test what they call the quiet-life hypothesis—the idea that without shareholder pressure, managers will tend to avoid big decisions and content themselves with managing stable corporate empires, letting their companies stagnate.

The quiet-life hypothesis is an old idea, going back all the way to the great economist John Hicks in the 1930s. Herbert Simon, perhaps the first economist to win the Nobel Prize for behavioral economics, called it “satisficing,” to distinguish it from the rational, machine-like optimizing behavior encountered in many economic models. When an industry is less competitive—because of government regulation, network effects, brand loyalty or a bunch of other factors—managers can get away with ruling their empires instead of pushing for profitability.

Ikeda et al. finds that a lot of this is going on in modern corporate Japan. Many Japanese companies engage in cross-shareholding, where corporations own each other’s stock. This practice allows a sort of unofficial deal to take place—you don’t push us too hard, and we won’t push you. Japanese companies also don’t have a lot of independent directors on their board—frequently, managers themselves are the ones in control.

Ikeda et al. find that companies with more crossshareholding spend less on both capital investment and research and development. They also engage in less corporate restructuring. Capital expenditure and R&D indicate a desire for growth and expansion into new markets, while restructuring indicates a push for efficiency. Japanese managers who are protected from shareholder pressure tend not to do either of these things, suggesting they’re leading a quiet, comfortable, inefficient life. Bolstering that notion is Ikeda et al.’s finding that the presence of independent directors on a company’s board is correlated with more investment, R&D and restructuring.

In other words, to improve Japanese companies’ dynamism, growth, and efficiency— and, probably, to reduce the incidence of scandals—the country needs to unleash shareholders against hidebound management.

Japan’s government realizes that this is a priority.

Under the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan’s Financial Services Agency introduced a new corporate governance code two years ago. Rates of compliance have been surprisingly high. Progress on getting independent directors onto Japanese boards has been especially encouraging.

In the past two years, Japan has gone from a majority of companies having not even one independent director to four out of five having two or more. That’s a stunning change, and a testimony to the power of the Japanese bureaucracy to influence the country’s big companies when it wants to.

But the question remains whether the new independent directors will have the same kind of salutary effect that Ikeda et al. found in their paper. It might be the case that the companies that had independent directors in the past tended to be those who were also interested in efficiency for other reasons.

Realizing this danger, the Financial Services Agency also introduced a stewardship code that aims to teach investors the art of pushing companies to do better. In other words, Japan now features government bureaucrats trying to teach capitalists how to fight for higher profit.

Of course, it will take years to know how much of this profit growth is merely an artifact of a strong global economy. Meanwhile, the bureaucrats aren’t resting on their laurels. The FSA is trying to nudge companies to expand more into new markets, and to offer buyouts and early retirement to senior managers in order to let younger leaders take the corporate reins. And they’re bringing in industry consultants and academic experts to make sure they themselves don’t succumb to bureaucratic tunnel vision. Meanwhile, private equity, relatively unmolested by government meddling, is now taking a larger role in helping Japan Inc. restructure.

So policy makers are trying to do the right things to shake up corporate Japan. Rising profits and the increasing prevalence of independent directors are signs that things just might be working. Let’s hope scandals like the one at Kobe Steel represent the last gasps of an old order. Bloomberg

A5

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Weaponizing impeachment vs dissent

Japan Inc. scandals build a case for corporate reform

By Noah Smith

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017

THIS is the last of five columns I have devoted to the impeachment charges against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. In the first three columns, I debunked the corruption charges hurled against her. In the last two columns, including this one, my focus is on the charges of Mr. Larry Gadon related to betrayal of public trust. These charges also fail and the House of Representatives should reverse the findings of its Committee on Justice. Otherwise, the lower House and the President, perceived to be behind the impeachment, will be embarrassed when this goes to the Senate.

Other acts of betrayal of public trust which Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno allegedly committed include: reminding justices of the Court of Appeals about the Canon of “Independence; that she attacked the imposition of martial law in her commencement address at the Ateneo de Manila University at the time the imposition of martial law had not yet been decided by the Supreme Court; that she, together with the presiding justice of the Court of Appeals, signed a “joint Statement” on the

House of Representatives Show Cause Order against three justices in CA-G.R. No. SP 151029, involving the illegal detention of Ilocos Norte officials; the supposed delay in filling up certain positions in the Court: a) Deputy Clerk of Court and Chief Attorney of the Supreme Court; and two positions of Assistant Court Administrator in the Office of the Court Administrator; and on the supposed appointment by the Court en banc, and not merely the Chairpersons of the three divisions, of the Chief of Office of the PHILJA-PMCO. On the following issues raised by the complainant, Sereno interposes the following defenses in her Reply: The Chief Justice asserts that the accusation that she prevented Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals from paying the President courtesy call as a barefaced lie. The fact of the matter, according to her, is that she cannot prevent any member of the judiciary from visiting the President. However, as the Chief Magistrate she can occasionally remind its members of the First Canon of the Code of Conduct— which is independence.

On the supposed attacks against the President’s declaration of martial law during the Ateneo commencement address, Sereno

contends that the complainant’s facts are inaccurate.

She says that it was not an attack against the declaration of martial law when in fact at the start of her speech she expressly stated that the President had the power to impose martial law. While she alluded to the country’s past experiences during the time of the dictatorship she did not say that these would be relived under President Duterte’s martial law. Most importantly, the commencement speech was an exercise of her right to free speech. It was merely her view on a matter of public interest and history.

On the allegation that the Chief Justice should not have commented on CAGR. SP No. 151029 since the matter could have been elevated to the High Court in violation of Code of Canon 3 Section 4 which prohibits judges from commenting that might reasonably be expected to affect the outcome of a case, the Chief Justice answers that this canon is inapplicable. The Joint Statement absolutely contained no comment on the case. Neither did it touch on the substance nor on the merits of the subject case. It focuses merely on the unprecedented issues of the House’s issuance of a show cause order against the three justices of the CA. On the supposed delay

in the appointment of certain Court officials, Chief Justice Sereno argues that these appointments are now pending before the Supreme Court en banc and this matter should be resolved internally by the Supreme Court. The truth is that the Court needs to clarify once again how appointments are made in the judiciary, which can be properly delegated to the Chief Justice and to various bodies and which appointments need to be approved by the Supreme Court en banc. In any case, errors that might have been made in these appointments are not impeachable as they do not rise to the seriousness of the grounds enumerated in the Constitution.

As a closing statement in her Reply, Chief Justice Sereno concludes that the impeachment complaint is baseless. Among others, it is not founded on authentic records or personal knowledge but on conflated hearsay. Sereno wonders how this complaint could have been found sufficient in form and substance, pointing out that the impeachment process is not just another arsenal for partisanship but rather a measure of last resort “to protect the state and society against great and dangerous offenses that might reoccur if he (she) is allowed to remain in office.”

What is happening now is that impeachment has been weaponized to suppress dissent. As Chief Justice Sereno observed in a gathering of trial Judges in Palo, Leyte earlier this week, “such political maneuverings can only erode our branch of government in the long term, however gratifying it may be at the moment.” Sereno was also quoted as saying she is not bothered by the impeachment: “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 . . . I have enough faith in the truth to sleep soundly at night; I have enough faith in our people, and in our democratic systems, to know that narratives built on lies will eventually crumble.: As I have written before, the impeachment of the Chief Justice is not just about an individual and her rights; it is about our country. Sereno ends her reply with a statement of fact and a hope: “In our Congress rests not only the fate of one man (woman), but the integrity of our Constitution and democratic processes.”

This I echo with my mind and heart.

Facebook: deantonylavs Twitter: tonylavs

Trump’s Dreamer deal breaker Bloomberg editorial PRESIDENT Donald Trump has issued his “priorities” for immigration legislation. It’s a mixed bag that deserves a full debate in Congress. But 800,000 of America’s most productive young people should not be used as bargaining chips in that debate.

It’s unfortunate, though not surprising, that the president has reneged on an informal agreement with Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Nancy Pelosi to protect the so-

The fake...

From A4

The real bad news is that many bloggers have begun using cyber technology to disseminate fake news and they have shown extraordinary skill in this objectionable pursuit.

In essence, the dissemination of fake news on social media consists of spreading false information as if it were a fact. This is often done by including the false information within a brief narrative appearing at a blog site. Readers of the blog who like what they read eventually pass on the baneful material to others.

Soon, the false information spreads like wildfire.

Because of the sheer extent of its dissemination, the false information takes on a superficial veracity of its own, and is believed by everyone.

It is disturbing to note that this phenomenon seems to confirm Nazi German ideology—repeat

Fr. Archie...

From A4

a fourth “ism” that the P should address in addition to capitalism, feudalism, and imperialism.

Archie was quite progressive when it comes to women’s issues. He was ahead of his time. Like other political groups, women had to struggle within and outside the P. We succeeded in putting in a policy on sexual harassment even before the law was passed by Philippine Congress.

We worked for women’s representation in the Central

called Dreamers, whose parents brought them to the US as children. At a White House meeting last month, the three apparently agreed to deal with the Dreamers separately, without entangling them in the debate over broader immigration issues such as funding for a border wall.

The moral and economic cases for granting the Dreamers the right to remain in the US are clear and compelling. They are American in every sense but legal, and the US has already invested in their education and upbringing.

Why kick them out now, to countries many of them don’t even know, when they are poised to contribute to the US? Worse yet would be linking their fate to the passage of measures that are a mix of ignoble and ineffective. Full construction of a border wall, for instance, would be a costly boondoggle. Plans to cut the number of USbound refugees to historic lows during a global refugee crisis likewise rest on false premises: Refugees go through stringent vetting, with little evidence

of “fraud” in the program.

Arguing that it’s cheaper to resettle refugees nearer to their homes also ignores their dire humanitarian needs—precisely why they are selected for resettlement in the US and other developed nations.

Such legislative preconditions, even if not backed by the threat of a presidential veto, will inflame any progress on more pressing needs that Trump rightly includes in his list of priorities: A merit-based immigration system, clearing up immigration courts’ backlog, reducing

the number of those who overstay their visas, and implementing the E-Verify system to discourage employment of undocumented workers.

Trump still has time to reconsider his strategy and avoid another legislative defeat. Supporting passage of the clean Dream Act of 2017, which has already been introduced, would not only give him his first real legislative achievement. It would also give the national debate over comprehensive immigration reform the respect and attention it deserves.

a lie a thousand times and the people will take it to be true.

Bloggers who disseminate fake news invoke the constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression and free speech—which are patterned after the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

They have American jurisprudence on their side because the United States Supreme Court has ruled that “there is no such thing as a false idea under the First Amendment.” As every student of Constitutional Law in this country knows, American jurisprudence has persuasive influence in Philippine jurisprudence.

Those who engage in the dissemination of fake news have a convenient excuse— they honesty believed that what they were disseminating was true. That excuse is well-nigh very difficult to refute, especially if the one engaged in the dissemination is, as the euphemism goes, “mentally challenged.”

Since it is very easy for

anybody to feign an honest belief that the fake news he or she disseminated was true, then government officials who also engage in the dissemination of fake news by way of personal blogs can likewise avail of that defense.

In simple language, therefore, no law exists penalizing the dissemination by anybody of fake news on cyberspace, and even if there were such a law, its constitutionality will be very difficult to defend if it were challenged in the Supreme Court.

So far, all the credible legal minds in town have expressed serious doubts about the constitutionality of a law penalizing the dissemination of fake news.

A solicitor general during the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III recently suggested to the Senate that a law be enacted creating a government office which will standardize all information to be disseminated to the general public by the national government.

Although the suggested

measure is well meant, it will only create needless regimentation in news dissemination by the national government, as well as inordinate delay in doing so, thanks to the bureaucracy characterizing all government offices. If such an office were really needed, then that office should be the existing media bureau of the national government. So far, the existing media bureau is suffering from a credibility problem owing to the erroneous public announcements attributed to some of its line agencies.

Besides, the suggested measure will unduly expand the already bloated government bureaucracy. Because the measure is limited to government sources of information, it does not solve the problem of fake news disseminated by private bloggers.

The ethical standards which govern the traditional news media make it very difficult, if not virtually impossible for newspapers, and the radio and television media to willingly and deliberately

report fake news to the general public. Traditional news media may not be perfect or ideal sources of news and vital information but, unlike bloggers and similar social media commentators, the traditional news media are bound by time-tested ethical restrictions designed to protect the public from disinformation.

Considering that the old fashioned way of news dissemination worked well against the dissemination of fake news, there seems to be no reason not to encourage a return to the old practice.

At the end of the day, the solution against the proliferation and dissemination of false news cannot be found in legislation or regulation, but in urging the general public to personally verify the authenticity of the news and information they receive, or get their news directly from the traditional news media, like they way Filipinos used to before the nightmare of fake news began haunting

Committee. We lost the first time we made a bid for it but got the “thinking votes”. We succeeded the second time this was proposed to the P Congress with no less than the chairman and Fr. Archie backing us up. Thus, the PDSP became the first political party in the country that adopted a “Gender Quota.”

Throughout those years, Archie was a source of many important lessons that has guided me even as I left the P in 2009.

My last serious discussion with Fr. Archie before I resigned was on the very controversial reproductive health bill. After a meeting

in his office, he sat down with me and said that he was following the heated debates on the RH bill and he knew that I was among its primary advocates. He wanted me to know that he was supporting the bill but had reservations with IUD. He said, “Please do not think that we are as narrow-minded as ____.”

We discussed IUD and in the end, he said that when the bill passes, he would support the law.

I did not see Archie for years. We connected with each other from time to time. But last Sept. 21, we bumped into each other in UP after the anti-Martial

Law mass. I was very happy to see and chat with him.

He again gave me his very charming smile. We talked a bit about politics and how bad the present situation is. He told me that he was sick and this kind of sickness can linger for twenty years or could strike tomorrow. He said that the work must go on. We agreed that we should talk again soon.

We embraced, and it was the first time we did in the many years we have known each other.

The next news I heard was of his sudden passing. He was right, what ailed him could strike anytime. The

country lost a real patriot and many of us lost a real leader and a friend. I am just thankful that we had that last meeting.

Fr. Archie Intengan is gone but his ideals and principles will remain to inspire us. We will miss you but the love, admiration, and respect will always be there. Rest now, Fr. Archie. Your life was one of service to the people and the country. Thank you for everything. We will go on fighting the good fight.

the country.

bethangsioco@gmail.com @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

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TODAY OCTOBER 14, 2017 SATURDAY, mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Aid for Makati SPED kids

By Joel E. Zurbano THE city government of Makati has distributed P5,000 in educational assistance to each of 557 public elementary and high school students enrolled under the city's Special Education program for school year 2017-2018.

Mayor Abigail Binay said the initiative was in line with the commitment of the city government to promote the development of special children through providing them every possible assistance to address their needs.

“The city government keeps on finding ways to help nurture their potential talents and abilities so that they would become self-sufficient

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section

must be brought to our attention the very day the

and productive members of society,” she said.

According to the city's Department of Education, all SPED learners who were enrolled as of June 30, 2017 are entitled to the P5,000 educational assistance from the city government.

From Oct. 3 to 5, paymasters from City Hall went to the SPED classes and distributed the cash assistance to qualified recipients, which include 111 SPED learners from Nemesio Yabut Elementary School, 24 from San Antonio National High School, 50 from Fort Bonifacio High School, and 25 from Gen. Pio del Pilar National High School.

NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF SANO ASIA PVT. INC. Notice is hereby given that a special meeting of all shareholders of Sano Asia Pvt. Inc. was held at its head office in Quezon City, Philippines and that a Board Resolution has been made thereby dissolving its operation last December 22, 2014.

(SEPT. 29 OCT. 6 & 14, 2017)

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Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT Fourth Judicial Region, Branch 30 San Pablo City SARAH MARJORIE GARCIALAXAMANA, Petitioner, - versus CIVIL CASE NO. SP-7453 (17) FOR: DECLARATION OF NULLITY OF MARRIAGE JONATHAN S. LAXAMANA, Respondent. x-------------------------------X SUMMONS TO: JONATHAN S. LAXAMANA 45 Zone 3 Balagbag Milaor Camarines Sur GREETINGS: You are hereby required within fifteen (15) days after service of this summons upon you, to file this Court and serve on the plaintiff your answer to the complaint, copy of which is attached, together with the annexes. You are reminded of the provision in the IBP-OCA Memorandum on Policy Guidelines dated March 12, 2002 to observe restraint in filing a motion to dismiss and instead allege the grounds thereof as defense in the Answer. If you fail to answer within the time fixed. The plaintiff will make judgment by default and maybe granted the relief prayed for in the complaint.

WITNESS MY HAND under the seal of the Court, this 25th day of May, 2017.

(Sgd.) MARISSA G. MANILAY OIC Branch Clerk of Court Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT Fourth Judicial Region, Branch 30 San Pablo City

ORDER This is a verified petition for Declaration of Nullity Of Marriage filed by the above-named petitioner against the respondent anchored on Articles 36f the Family Code of the Philippines.

The petition alleges that petitioner and respondent got married on July 23, 2008 in Bay, Laguna. The married life of the parties did not get well because of their respective psychological incapacity. As per psychological report, petitioner was diagnosed as suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder while respondent is suffering from Passive-Aggressive Personality Disorder.

Petitioner prays that after due notice and hearing, judgment be rendered declaring her marriage with the respondent as null and void.

Let copy of this Order be published once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines. Further let summons and copy of the complaint and its annexes be served upon the respondent by registered mail at his last known address.

Pursuant to Sec. 6, (2) (e) of A.M. No. 02-11-10-SC, the respondent is hereby directed within thirty (30) days from last issue of publication, to file with the Court and serve upon petitioner his answer to the petition.

Respondent is hereby reminded of Sec. 7 of the said Administrative Matter to observe restraint in filing a motion to dismiss and instead raised the grounds thereof as an affirmative defense in the Answer.

If respondent fails to answer within the time fixed, the Court will grant the relief prayed for in the petition.

SO ORDERED. San Pablo City, September 18, 20 17.

SARAH MARJORIE GARCIALAXAMANA, Petitioner, - versus CIVIL CASE NO. SP-7453 (17) (Sgd.) AMY MELBA S. BELULIA Judge JONATHAN S. LAXAMANA, Respondent.

(MS-Oct. 14, 21 & 28, 2017) x-------------------------------X

Republic of the Philippines Department of Education REGION IV-A CALABARZON Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta. Rizal INVITATION TO BID BOARD & LODGING FOR THE TRAINING WORKSHOP ON THE CONDUCT OF SCHOOL-BASED LEARNING ACTION CELL (RE-BID) 1.

The DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON, through the HRTD funds FY 2017 intends to apply the sum of Two Million Seven Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php2,700,000.00) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for Board and Lodging for the Training Workshop on the Conduct of School-Based Learning Action Cell. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

300 pax x Phpl,800.00 x 10 days Date of activity -----November 20 -24, 2017 ----150 pax December 4 -8 ------150 pax

2.

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

T

AIWAN on Friday said it acted swiftly on a Philippine alert and made sure to send Ralph Cabales Trangia—a suspect in the recent hazing death of University of Santo Tomas law student Horacio Castillo III—on his connecting flight from the United States via the island nation back to Manila.

In a statement issued days after Trangia’s arrival in Manila, The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office said the immediate action is due to bilateral cooperation between immigration authorities of Taiwan and the Philippines, expressing Taipei’s serious commitment of its diplomatic

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations “,”ith at least sixty percent (60%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines, and to citizens or organizations of a country the laws or regulations of which grant similar rights or privileges to Filipino citizens, pursuant to RA 5183.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON (BAC Secretariat) and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below during office hour at 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on October 16, 2017 from the address below and upon payment of the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents, pursuant to the latest Guidelines issued by the GPPB, in the amount of Five Hundred Pesos (Php500.00).

Note: For lot procurement, the maximum fee for the Bidding Documents for each lot shall be based on its ABC, in accordance with the Guidelines issued by the GPPB; provided that the total fees for the Bidding Documents of all lots shall not exceed the maximum fee prescribed in the Guidelines for the sum of the ABC of all lots.}

INVITATION TO BID

LOT - I Supply of Labor and Materials for Sitio Electrification Project 2017 First Batch (72 Sitios of Congressional District 1 and 2) Approved Budget Cost: Php36,445,225.03 (VAT-Inclusive) Source of Funding: NEA SEP 2017 - First Batch Delivery Schedule: To be announced during the pre-bid proper.

AWARDING: PER LOT LOT - II Supply of Housewiring Materials for Sitio Electrification Project 2017 First Batch (72 Sitios of Congressional District 1 and 2) Approved Budget Cost: Php7,307,936.00 (VAT-Inclusive) Source of Funding: NEA SEP 2017 - First Batch Delivery Schedule: To be announced during the pre-bid proper.

AWARDING: PER LOT LOT - III Supply of Service Motorcycle for Meter Readers Approved Budget Cost: Php4,312,000.00 (VAT-Inclusive) Source of Funding: 5% Reinvestment Fund Delivery Schedule: To be announced during the pre-qualification proper.

AWARDING: PER LOT GENERAL GUIDELINES 1. Interested bidders may secure BID DOCUMENTS and obtain further INFORMATIONS from the ORMECO, Inc. Bids and Award Committee (BAC)/ Procurement Section, ORMECO, Inc., Simaron, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. A non-refundable fee in the amount of Php25,000.00 for LOT - I, Php10,000.00 for LOT - II, and Php5,000.00 for LOT - III and shall be collected as payment for BID DOCUMENTS. 2. Interested bidders must be accredited as supplier before joining the pre-bidding conference and accreditation will start on October 16, 2017 at 8:00am until 5:00p.m. of October 20, 2017. You can call at telephone numbers 043-2882349/043-2869375 or send an email at ormeco_coop@yahoo.com.

3. PRE-BID CONFERENCE will be held at ORMECO, Inc. Board Room, Sta. Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro at 2:00 p.m. of October 23, 2017 for LOT - I, 3:00 p.m. of October 23, 2017 for LOT - II, 2:00p.m. of October 24, 2017 for LOT - III. 4. SEALED PROPOSALS will be received at 2:00 p.m. of November 6, 2017 for LOT - I, 3:00 p.m. of November 6, 2017 for LOT - II, 2:00p.m. of November 7, 2017 for LOT - III, immediately after which, the said proposals will be opened during the actual bidding in the presence of the attending bidders.

5. ALL BIDS must be accompanied by a BID BOND payable to ORMECO, Inc. in the form of CASH, CASHIER’S CHECK, MANAGER’S CHECK or BANK DRAFT issued by a reputable bank equivalent to TWO PERCENT (2%) of the Approved Budget Cost (ABC). No Bid Bond in the form of Surety Bond shall be accepted. The bidder with the lowest calculated bid will be considered the winning bidder.

6. The winning bidder shall issue FIVE PERCENT (5%) in the form of CASH, CASHIER’S CHECK, MANAGER’S CHECK or BANK DRAFT from a reputable bank, representing the PERFORMANCE BOND. 7. If the bidder who submitted the best offer refuses to push through with his / her proposed BID during and after the bidding, his / her Bid Bond shall be forfeited, and failure of bidding shall be declared.

8. ORMECO, Inc. reserves the right to accept or reject any Bids, declare failure of bidding and not to award the contract without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders. ORMECO, Inc. also has no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnity bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of their bids.

ORMECO, INC. (SND) RONIE T. MORALES BAC CHAIRMAN (MS-OCT. 14, 2017)

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health CENTRAL OFFICE BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE INVITATION TO BID FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF PRESIDENTIAL SECURITY GROUP (PSG) STATION HOSPITAL, PHASE I IB No. CW-2017-002 1.

The Department of Health (DOH) through the General Appropriation Act of 2017 intends to apply the sum of One Hundred Ninety Nine Million Nine Hundred Sixty Seven Thousand One Hundred Fifty Three Philippine Pesos and Seventeen Centavos (PhP199.967.153.17) being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) to payments under the contract for the Procurement of the Construction of Presidential Security Group (PSG) Station Hospital, Phase 1 under lB No. CW2017-002. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

2.

The DOH now invites bids for the procurement of the above-captioned project.

Completion of the Works is required within the period specified under Section VI. Technical Specifications and Scope of Works. Bidders should have completed a single contact local or international that is similar to this Project, equivalent to at least fifty percent (50%) of the ABC. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

3.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using nondiscretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

4.

5.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity provided that Bidders shall pay the applicable fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of their bids.

6.

7.

The DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON will hold a Pre-Bid Conference3 on October 23, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. to be held at the Director’s Office Conference Room, which shall be open to prospective bidders.

Bids must be duly received by the BAC Secretariat at the address below on or before November 6, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. All Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in lTB Clause 18.

The DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

9.

For further information, please refer to: Ann Geralyn T Pelias DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON Gate 2 Karangalan Drive, Cainta. Rizal 6477487 & 6474914 www.depedcalabarzon.ph (SGD) ANN GERALYN T. PELIAS BAC Chairperson

3 1

Interested bidders may obtain further information from the COBAC Secretariat.

G/F, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz, Manila and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given above during 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM of office hours.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be acquired by interested Bidders on 15 October - 06 November 2017 from the address above and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of Fifty Thousand Philippine Pesos (PhP50.000.00).

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhiIGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later than the submission of bids.

6.

The DOH will hold a Pre-bid Conference on 23 October 2017; 10:00 A.M. at COBAC Conference Room, Ground Floor, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, Sta. Cruz, Manila which shall be open to all interested bidders.

7.

Bids must be duly received by the Special COBAC Secretariat at the address below on or before 06 November 2017; 9:00 A.M. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bid opening shall be on November 6, 2017 at the Director’s Office Conference Room. Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

Bid opening shall be on 06 November 2017; 9:00 A.M. at the COBAC Conference Room, Ground Floor, Bldg. 6, Department of Health, Sta. Cruz, Manila. Bids will be opened in the presence of the Bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address above. Late bids shall not be accepted.

8.

Eligible Bidders shall submit a Certified True Copy of valid PCAB licenses for Size Range - at least Medium B, License Category - at least A, General Building.

9.

The DOH reserves the right to reject any and all bids, declare a failure of bidding, or not award the contract at any time prior to contract award in accordance with Section 41 of RA 9184 and its IRR, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

10. For further information, please refer to: Special COBAC Secretariat Department of Health San Lazaro Compound Sta. Cruz. Manila Tel. Nos. 651-7800 local 1625 to 1627; 1650 to 52 Facsimile No.: 741-9775; 740-6830

Mav be deleted ill case the ABC is less than One Million Pesos (PhP1,000,000.00) where the Procuring Entity may not hold a Pre-Bid Conference.

(MS-OCT. 14, 2017)

back to Manila.

“On October 9, 2017, as soon as we obtained the information, this office informed the Bureau of Immigration of the Philippines to take necessary measures. Due to our cooperation, the suspect was detained upon his arrival in Manila and will face the judicial process,” Teco said.

The office said this is one of the examples of “successful cooperation” between the Philippines and Taiwan immigration authorities.

“This Office looks forward to working with the Philippines authorities hand in hand for even better relations and cooperation in the future,” Teco added.

All interested bidders are invited to participate in the actual bidding for these three (3) LOTs detailed as follows:

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using a nondiscretionary “pass/fail” criterion as specified in the 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) 9184, otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”. (i)

relationship with the Manila.

“When the office received relevant information about the above-mentioned suspect, we immediately provided confirmed accurate information to the Philippine government,” Teco said.

Taiwan's National Immigration

Agency also blacklisted Trangia for travel to Taipei, it added.

Shortly after Castillo’s death, Trangia flew to Chicago via Taiwan on EVA Air on Sept. 19.

Trangia and his mother, Rosemarie, arrived from Taipei on Tuesday, barely a month after they went to the United States following the killing of Castillo in initiation rites of the Aegis Juris Fraternity.

Teco said when Taiwan authorities received the APIS (Advance Passenger Information System) alert on Trangia's flight from Chicago to Taiwan via flight BR55, they monitored his arrival constantly and ensured that he will board the plane

ORIE NTA L MINDORO E LEC TRIC COOPE R ATIV E , INC. (O R M E C O) Simaron, Calapan Cit y

The DepED Region IV-A CALABARZON now invites bids for the Board & Lodging for the Training Workshop on the conduct of School-Based learning Action Cell. Delivery of the Services is expected for the Contract duration Bidders should have completed, within five (5) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project.

The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II. Instructions to Bidders.

Preferred venue shall be somewhere within Batangas, Laguna & Cavite only.

3.

Taiwan ensures Trangia flies back to face charges

(MS-OCT. 14, 2017)

(SGD) HERMINIGILDO V. VALLE, MD, MPA Undersecretary of Health Chairperson, Special COBAC

BURNED OUT. A firefighter climbs on a discarded police mobile car after a fire at a vehicle impounding area near the Manila Zoo. Norman Cruz

‘Talks with Reds still alive despite President’s tirades’

By John Paolo Bencito PEACE negotiations with the National Democratic Front still remain “alive” despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s own pronouncements abandoning a possible revival of talks within his term, a senior Cabinet official said.

In a Palace news briefing, Labor Secretary Silvestre “Bebot” Bello III, who also sits as the chief government panel negotiator in the peace talks with the communist rebels, admitted they are not sending any formal notice to terminate the peace talks yet.

Bello stressed that Duterte will not “abandon” his pledge to the Filipino people to bring “lasting peace for our country” in coming up with a successful deal with the communists.

“When the President came in as our president, he made a very clear statement that his legacy to our country and our countrymen is a lasting peace for our country. So I don’t think that the President has abandoned that legacy,” the Labor chief added.

Despite Duterte’s tirades virtually placing the final nail in the coffin for the possible resumption of the peace talks, Bello insisted these did not mean “that the talks were

canceled or terminated.”

“The talks are alive and we are just waiting for the President to give us the instruction to go back to the peace table,” Bello stressed.

Duterte earlier said he no longer wanted to talk peace with the Communist Party of the PhilippinesNew People’s Army-NDFP group, saying their demands are “not really possible.”

“We are fighting the NPA. At this stage, I am not ready to talk to them because it is not good for the country,” Duterte said.

“Eh kung para lang sa bayan, okay ‘yan. But the way that it is now, ayaw ko [If only it’s for the good of the country, it’s okay, but the way it is now, I don’t want it.]

And maybe it would take some time to… maybe another President to do it,” he added.

The government was slated to resume the fifth round of talks with the communists last May, but suspended the negotiations following the “serious challenges” both parties were facing.

The round of talks slated last August was likewise cancelled, amid the “lack of enabling environment” to proceed with the talks, the government peace panel said.

Tondo village chief fifth to fall in Manila since January—Erap

By Bill Casas “GET the culprits.”

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada relayed this instruction to the Manila Police District in response to the Wednesday killing of a barangay chairman in Tondo, the fifth barangay chief to be murdered in the city since January.

Estrada also expressed his condolences to the family of Arnel Parce, 47, whom he described as a “very competent” chairman of Barangay 20, Zone 2.

“Get the culprits as soon as possible,” the mayor told MPD director Chief Supt. Joel Coronel.

In an interview at the City Hall, Estrada said he personally knows Parce.

“He’s very qualified. He’s very industrious and down to earth. The barangay chairman was very competent,” he said.

Whenever there was a fire in his community, Parce, Estrada said, would always seek his help to assist the displaced families, asking for construction materials that the fire

victims could use to rebuild their houses.

“He always had his heart for his constituents,” Estrada added.

Parce was shot dead Wednesday night while talking with three men along San Roque Street. A closedcircuit television camera captured the moment when a motorcycle drove up as the back rider alighted and fired at him.

When Parce fell to the ground, a speech-impaired barangay employee identified as Christopher Balotinos, rushed at the attacker and grappled with him for the gun as the other witnesses fled.

The gunman, however, still managed to escape. Balotinos was brought to a hospital for a gunshot wound to the shoulder.

Village watchman Danny Bohol told police Parce had been receiving death threats because of his stern anti-drug campaign.

In an interview, Supt. Santiago Pascual, chief of the MPD Station 2, said they have recovered from the crime scene a .45 caliber “Shooters” pistol.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports Sharapova marches into semis TIANJIN (AFP)--Maria Sharapova equalled her best performance since returning from a doping suspension when she reached the Tianjin Open semi-finals on Friday.

The Russian easily defeated Swiss qualifier Stefanie Voegele 6-3, 6-1 in 64 minutes. The former world number one will face either China’s Peng Shuai or Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo in the last four.

Sharapova returned from a 15-month suspension in April for taking the banned substance meldonium.

In her first tournament back, in Stuttgart, she made it to the semi-finals but has been unable to repeat that feat again, until now.

The 30-year-old, ranked 86 in the world, was granted a wildcard for Tianjin because her ranking was too low.

Meanwhile, in Shanghai, China, Marin Cilic became the first man to reach the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Friday when he brushed aside Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

The Croatian world number five beat the unseeded Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 6-4 and will face world number one Rafael Nadal or Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov on Saturday. AFP

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Jordan: NBA super squads will create 28 garbage ones N

EW YORK—Retired NBA legend Michael Jordan has warned that the “superteam” era will create a league with 28 “garbage” clubs that will struggle.

Jordan, who sparked the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles in the 1990s, addressed the topic in an interview with Cigar Aficionado magazine unveiled Thursday on its website.

He also talked about his pal Tiger Woods, a 14-time major champion golfer struggling to return after multiple back operations, and said he himself might not have “survived in this Twitter time.”

Jordan’s toughest talk was on the state of the NBA, where several teams have

stockpiled talent to try and dethrone the reigning champion Golden State Warriors, who last season united stars Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry to forma dominant squad that claimed a second title in three seasons.

In the past few months, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder have added star talent to their rosters.

“I think it’s going to hurt the overall aspect of the league from a competitive

standpoint,” Jordan told the magazine. “You’re going to have one or two teams that are going to be great and another 28 teams that are going to be garbage, or they are going to have a tough time surviving in the business environment.”

Jordan, 54, also said he lacks the patience to be a coach, saying his biggest problem is the focus level of today’s players.

“For me to ask an individual to focus on the game the way I played would, in some ways, be unfair and if he didn’t do it, there’s no telling where my emotions would be,” Jordan told the magazine.

Regarding Woods, whose

Jordan

major total ranks second to the 18 won by Jack Nicklaus, Jordan said the injured star is in a transitional phase perhaps made more difficult by today’s social media.

“I don’t know if I could have survived in this Twitter time where you don’t

have the privacy that you would want.”

Tiger, Jack both great Jordan would not be drawn into a comparison of Woods and Nicklaus in the Greatest of All Time debate.

“That’s more for stories and hype,” Jordan told the magazine. “Jack and Tiger never played against each other. They never played with the same equipment.

“I never played against Wilt Chamberlain. I never played against Jerry West. To now say that one is greater than the other is being a little bit unfair.

“How much did each one impact, change or evolve the game? Obviously Jack

Xavier karatekas bag world crown

UP makes finals of badminton UNIVERSITY of the Philippines ended Ateneo’s streak of five consecutive men’s championship appearances with a 3-1 victory in the UAAP Season 80 badminton tournament yesterday.

The Fighting Maroons also solved the Blue Eagles’ puzzle in the last three playoffs, going 0-4 including last year where they lost twice despite having a twice-to-beat semifinals incentive.

Up next for UP is a bestof-three championship date with four-peat seeking National University starting at 8 a.m. today at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall.

JM Bernardo defeated Keoni Asuncion, 21-14, 2118, in the first singles to put the Maroons ahead.

Ateneo leveled after Carlo Remo made quick work of Vincent Rafael Manuel, 21-15, 21-19, in the second singles.

UP then swept the doubles’ matches, as CK Clemente and JM Bernardo rout Clarence Filart and Sean Chan, 21-7, 21-11, and Betong Pineda and Paul Gonzales nipped Asuncion and Remo, 21-18, 21-18.

The last time the Eagles missed the men’s badminton Finals was in 2011, when they placed fifth.

Veteran sportscribe Celis dies VETERAN Inquirer sports columnist Beth Celis passed away on Friday night. She was 73.

Celis’ almost five decades in journalism included writing stints with Sunday Times Magazine, Sports World, Tempo, We Forum and Manila Bulletin. She also cofounded the Sports Communicators’ Organization of the Philippines. Her column, In Huddle, first appeared in the Inquirer in 2003.

She is survived by son Raymond, daughters Stephanie, Claudine and Erika, and 10 grandchildren.

Celis’ remains are at St. Peter Memorial Chapel on Quezon Avenue, Quezon City. Interment is tentatively set on Tuesday.

won more during the time he played. Tiger evolved it to where it crossed a lot of different boundaries, where it’s not just a white guy’s sport— black guys, African-Americans, all minorities play the game.

“He played it at a level to where it generated so much interest financially that it grew the game from a financial standpoint. Now does that constitute him being the greatest? To say he’s any less than Jack, I think, is unfair.”

Jordan moved the Nicklaus-Woods win argument to the NBA level, comparing his title total to the record 11 won by former Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell. AFP

Adam Ortiz Bondoc (center) receives his gold medal during the awarding ceremony of the 7th Karate-do Goju-kai Association Global Championship in Richmond Olympic Oval in British Columbia, Canada.

Activities slated leading to WTA Finals Singapore SINGAPORE—With the coming 2017 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore Presented by SC Global, Singapore is set to come alive in October with a series of tennis and lifestylerelated activities lined up for both sports and non-sports fans.

In conjunction with the WTA Finals, ActiveSG launched the inaugural Singapore Tennis Festival —a month-long event for Singaporeans to experience and find out more about the sport. The festival will offer various opportunities to participate in tennis-themed carnivals, competitions, clinics, try-outs and meet like-minded friends.

There are more than 35 events taking place during the festival, many of which are or-

ganised by corporate and community partners.

“The Singapore Tennis Festival comes on the back of the successful Singapore Football Week where we saw many people coming together to play football then afterwards head to the Sports Hub to watch the International Champions Cup,” said Lim Teck Yin, CEO of Sport Singapore.

“Like the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix and 2017 International Champions Cup Singapore, the WTA Finals offers the chance for people to experience and be inspired by world-class sporting action. Through the Singapore Tennis Festival, we want to acquaint more people with tennis so they are able to

better appreciate the tennis action on show during the WTA Finals and build an affinity with the sport,” Lim added.

Learn, Play and Appreciate Tennis at the Singapore Tennis Festival Experience Tour As part of the festival, there will also be a Singapore Tennis Festival Experience Tour taking place at the Sports Hub from Oct. 22 to 29.

Designed to offer an all-encompassing tennis experience, participants will not only be able to watch the athletes in action during the WTA Finals but also get the chance to take part in fun activities such as Virtual Tennis, and play tennis with Team Singapore athletes.

For those without tennis experience, the tour can also be tailored to introduce participants to the sport and teach them the basics of playing the sport.

Lai Chin Kwang, ActiveSG Chief said, “There is no better way to find out why tennis is one of the most popular sports around than to pick up a racquet and experience it first-hand. The Singapore Tennis Festival Experience Tour will give participants the chance to enjoy tennis and hopefully inspire them to see the sport as one which they will love to play and watch regularly.”

To find out more info about the Singapore Tennis Festival and the Experience Tour, visit www.tennisfest.sg.

TEAM AAK-Philippines, led by Philippine Sportswriters Association junior awardee Adam Ortiz Bondoc and Paulo Manuel Gorospe, claimed 23 medals including seven golds to finish fifth overall in the 7th Karatedo Goju-kai Association Global Championship recently in Richmond Olympic Oval in British Columbia, Canada.

Over 500 young karatekas from 24 countries joined the four-day event, with the Philippines composed only of 14 athletes still emerging as the most productive contingent in the International Karate Federation-sanctioned meet.

“To all the AAK players, job well done!

Your AAK family is proud of you for all the hardships and sacrifices that you have given this past few months,” said AAK coach and former international champion Richard Lim. “To the ever loyal AAK supporting parents that have been there all throughout the training and in the championships, a big Thank you!”

Bondoc, a Grade 11 International Baccalaureate student and 2017 Junior Athlete of the Year of the PSA, won gold in the Male Individual Junior’s 16-17 years old kumite (sparring) event. He defeated his opponents from Chinese Taipei, South Africa, Canada, and England in the preliminaries, before dominating Shahab Alwi Faris of Indoneisa, 8-0, in the championship match.

Paulo, 8, a Grade 3 student of Xavier SchoolGreenhills, beat Benjamin La of Canada, 3-2, to claim the gold in the boys’ 7 to 8-years-old individual kata before pulling off another brilliant victory against a Hungarian opponent in the individual kumite.

Nichole Erica Dantes, a 17-year-old student from Colegio San Agustin, claimed the gold in the Bunkai event (participated in by two players and performed the actual combat application of the Kata), before winning a silver in the Open team event and bronze in the individual kumite.

Also showing excellence was 13-year old Matthea Lazo of Immaculate Conception Academy, winning gold in the Individual Girls’ kumite 12 to 13-years-old +50kgs and silver in the Individual Girls’ kata 12 to 13-years-old.

“If you will ratio it according to number of players and medals won, the Philippines would probably rank number 1,” said Lim.

Jollibee Kids Club members enjoy exclusive sports clinics from PH teams THE Philippines’ top rugby and frisbee players teamed up with Jollibee for a series of sports clinics exclusive to Jollibee Kids Club members.

Under the Jollibee Kids Club program, members aged 4 to 12 years old received fun training and coaching sessions from the country’s best athletes, including the national team members from the Philippine Volcanoes for Rugby

and the Philippine Master Women’s Team and Breakfast Club for Frisbee.

“We want to encourage our Jollibee Kids Club members to take a pause from their gadgets, have a great time with kids their age, and explore the fun outdoors.

And what better way to do that than to get them involved in sports, with no less than members of the country’s national teams teaching and inspiring them,” said

Charisse Sumulong, Jollibee Senior Brand Manager for Kids Marketing.

Access to these exclusive sports clinics are just one of the perks of being a JKC member. Members also get to join workshops like the Mini Managers Camp, enjoy monthly prizes, and other rewards. Sign up your kids to be a JKC member for only P100 thru registration forms available at Jollibee stores nationwide.

FACING SPORTS HEAD-ON. JKC members train with top athletes from the Philippine Volcanoes at the British School of Manila grounds.

Foodmasters take on Justice Boosters

Jimwell Torion of the DA Foodmastersdrives to the basket.

THE Department of Agriculture Food Masters take on the Ombudsman Justice Boosters at 3:30 p.m. Sunday in the UNTV Cup at the Pasig City Sports Center.

The Food Masters, now with a 1-1 record, admit there are many areas for improvement and more time to prepare, especially that opponents focus their defense on star player and

Games Sunday

(Pasig City Sports Center) 2 p.m. AFP vs. COA 3:30 p.m. Ombudsman vs. DA 5 p.m. Senate vs. GSIS

ex-pro Jimwell Torion.

“Siguro mag-adjust pa sa mga bagay, hindi kami maka-shoot. Hindi kami marunong dumepensa,” said DA head coach Zaldy

Realubit, who wants to intensify their defense.

“Inaanyayahan ko po kayo na panoorin kami ulit, mga Food Masters. Sigurado, marami po kaming ipapakitang bago sa susunod na laro,” said Team Captain Augustin Manganip Jr. Watch the game online via untvweb.com.

Jospher de Leon

LOTTO RESULTS 6/45 00-00-00-00-00-00 P0.0 M+ 4 DIGITS 00-00-00-00 3 DIGITS 00-00-00 2 EZ2 00-00

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

A8

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017

Sports

NU eyes sweep of PVL series Games today

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)

FEU Lady Tams blockers Jeanette Villareal (18) and Toni Rose Basas (10) try to stop another attack by the National U Lady Bulldogs. NU prevailed in their first match and hope to sweep their series to rule the PVL Collegiate Conference.

Pirates destroy Bombers

By Peter Atencio

T

HE rampaging Lyceum Pirates leaned on a 24-point explosion by CJ Perez to rout the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers, 100-63, in the 93rd National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball tournament yesterday at the Arena in San Juan.

Their 17th straight triumph put them a win closer to an 18-game sweep as well as an outright finals berth with a thrice-to-beat incentive.

Lloyd Castor unloaded

Ateneo battles dangerous Adamson Games Saturday

(at the Araneta Coliseum) 2 p.m. UE vs NU 4 p.m. Ateneo vs Adamson

IN the second round, the Ateneo Blue Eagles are wary of two teams, the Adamson Falcons, and the National University Bulldogs.

Both are improving and will be dangerous as the 80th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament progresses.

Coach Sandy Arespacochaga said this as the Blue Eagles get ready to meet the Falcons at 4 p.m. today at the Araneta Coliseum.

“A lot of teams are getting their groove. There’s Adamson, they had tough game in their last game.

They are still starting to pick up like NU,” said Arespacochaga.

The Blue Eagles are seeking to extend their winning run to eight and keep the solo lead by hurdling the Falcons.

The Falcons are on a four-game winning streak, and a weeklong layoff after getting past the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, 95-79.

They ended the first round with a 5-2 win-loss record, and the Falcons hope to catch up with the La Salle Green Archers in second, and that’s with a win over Ateneo.

Earlier, the NU Bulldogs take on the University of the East Warriors at 2 p.m.

The Bulldogs have just beaten the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 7770. Peter Atencio

12 points for the Heavy Bombers, who finished the elimination round with an 11-7 slate and the no. 3 seed in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the San Beda Red Lions banked on

a big endgame push from Robert Bolick Jr. and Donald Tankoua to overpower the Letran Knights, 73-68.

Their penetrations in the last five minutes lifted the Red Lions to their 16th win in 17 games.

Their 16-1 win-loss record and the Red Lions 15th consecutive triumph kept them in second spot to keep within striking distance of the unbeaten Lyceum Pirates.

Bolick’s drive and his assist to Franz Abuda’s layup

in the last 3:55 allowed the Red Lions to overtake the Knights, 65-63.

The Red Lions then worked to protect their advantage, and after two turnovers, Tankoua’s putback with 2:24 left put them ahead by five, 68-63.

The Knights fought to stay within range, 65-68, off Bong Quinto’s drive, but Bolick hit a clutch basket, and Tankoua drilled in two charities, in the final 1:12.

And this kept the Red Lions out of range, 72-65.

Games Tuesday

(Filoil Arena, San Juan) 8 a.m.- EAC vs UPHSD (jrs) 10 a.m.- MU vs AU (jrs) 12 nn.- EAC vs UPHSD (srs) 2 p.m.- MU vs AU (srs) 4 p.m.- CSJL vs CSB (srs) 6 p.m.- CSJL vs CSB (jrs)

“They gave themselves a good chance of making it to the top 4,” said Red Lions coach Boyet Fernandez.

Beating the Pirates, keeping Lyceum from taking an outright finals, and getting the no. 1 seeding in the Final Four will be the Red Lions’

goal when they clash with the Intramuros-based dribblers on Thursday.

Earlier, the San Sebastian Stags crushed the Mapua Cardinals, 97-70, to keep their flickering Final Four campaign alive.

The trio of Jayson David, who led with 24 points, joined hand with Alfren Gayosa and Alvin Capobres in delivering the decisive blow for the Stags, who ended a three-game losing slide.

They moved to a share of fifth spot with the Arellano

FEU Lady Tams seal Finals rematch against UST Tigresses FAR EASTERN University made short work of University of the Philippines, 21-8, 21-18, to seal a women’s Finals rematch with University of Santo Tomas yesterday in the UAAP Season 80 beach volleyball tournament at the Sands SM By The Bay. Action was briefly halted in the second set due to heavy

rain and wind, where the Lady Tamaraws’ Bernadeth Pons and Kyla Atienza were leading by just two, 18-16.

Bannered by Diana Carlos and Ayel Estrañero, the Lady Maroons tried to things around at the resumption of the game, but they fell short.

Pons and Atienza hope to

finally pull one off against the Tigresses, who have Cherry Rondina and Caitlyn Viray doing the damage.

UST won the women’s championship last season, needing three games to beat FEU, as the two squads are expecting another intense duel in the sand.

The Tigresses secured

an outright passage to the title round after sweeping all of their seven elimination round matches.

UST’s championship double remains alive as KR Guzman and Anthony Arbasto turned back FEU’s Jude Garcia and Jeremiah Barrica, 21-17, 21-16.

Game 1 of the Finals is

being played as of presstime.

Games 2 and 3, if necessary, is slated this afternoon at the same Pasay sand court.

Despite the loss, UP, which eliminated De La Salle’s Tin Tiamzon and May Luna, 17-21, 21-19, 15-12, in the first step-ladder Thursday night, is assured of their best finish ever in the event.

NATIONAL U sets out for a rare feat in the Premier Volleyball League today (Saturday), eyeing no less than a sweep of the Collegiate Conference crown against Far Eastern U at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

The Lady Bulldogs pounced on the Lady Tams’ late miscues and pounded out a 25-22, 21-25, 25-18, 26-24 victory in the opener of their best-of-three title series late Wednesday.

Unless the undermanned Morayta-based squad could neutralize NU’s power and edge in experience and match its endgame poise, the Lady Bulldogs could be on their way to completing a nine-game sweep of the season-ending conference crown of the league organized by Sports Vision.

After his wards scrambled at the finish that enabled the Lady Tams to threaten in Game One, NU coach Babes Castillo this time expects the Lady Bulldogs to come out of their 6:30 p.m. clash fiercer and confident.

“We’ve seen some rallies that we could’ve controlled right away.

But like I said hindi pa nila makuha ang balance on being relaxed and assertive,” said Castillo of his wards.

The match can be viewed live via streaming on www.sports.abscbn.com/livestream/pvl.

But the Lady Tams will have to worry more on how to defuse the 6-4 Jaja Santiago, who fired 15 kills, including four kill blocks, in their four-set win that also saw Risa Sato score 12 markers, Audrey Paran deliver 11 points and Jorelle Singh and Aiko Urdas combine for 17 hits.

Urdas also came up with 16 digs as the Lady Bulldogs survived the Lady Tams’ 14-ace outing.

Fajardo poised to rewrite PBA history

By Jeric Lopez THE legend of June Mar Fajardo continues to grow.

It seems like the mammoth big man from Cebu is bound to receive his fourth straight Most Valuable Player award in the Philippine Basketball Association as he leads the race by a mile.

Poised to erase his own record of three straight MVPs, Fajardo once again leads the pack this season, compiling an average of 38.58 statistical points throughout the three conferences in the cumulative statistical points standings released by the league yesterday.

With that and after leading San Miguel Beer to championships in both the Philippine Cup for the third straight year and the Com-

missioner’s Cup, Fajardo seems like a lock to claim yet another MVP award this season.

Should he do so, he will be the only player in league history to win four straight MVPs and at the same time, he will tie fellow legends Alvin Patrimonio and Mon Fernandez for most wins all-time.

Fajardo’s teammate Alex Cabagnot is a distant second in the race, finishing up with 32.96 SPs. In third place is GlobalPort star Terrence Romeo, who had 32.1 SPs. While Fajardo leads the MVP race for the season, he isn’t expected to win the Best Player of the Conference for the ongoing Governors’ Cup even though he has the lead

as well since the Beermen were eliminated early in the quarterfinals.

For the Rookie of the Year, it is a tight race between prolific gunners Matthew Wright of Phoenix and Roger Pogoy of TNT KaTropa.

Wright leads the statistical race, compiling an average of 26.7 but Pogoy is not far behind with his 22.3 average.

However, voters are expected to be split between the two.

While Wright had been the producer of higher stats, Pogoy had also been consistent and had led the Tropang Texters to more success, including a finals stint in the Commissioner’s Cup and a pair of semifinals appearances in the Philippine and Governors’ Cup, this season.

San Miguel Beer big man June Mar Fajardo fires a jumper over the head of Alaska Aces defender Calvin Abueva (8). Fajardo is poised to win a fourth consecutive PBA MVP award.

ONE champion Lee vows to finish Yamaguchi

ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela Lee (right) traps Mei Yamaguchi with a guillotine choke during their celebrated first match. ONE Championship

JAPANESE atomweight Mei “V.V.” Yamaguchi is the top contender to ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angela “Unstoppable” Lee. Yamaguchi has had a checkered career but she has never been submitted or knocked out in her MMA career.

Lee, on the other hand, has knocked out or submitted every opponent she has competed against in ONE Championship, except Yamaguchi, the woman she defeated for

the inaugural title.

Now, a year and a half removed from that match the Singaporean titleholder has an opportunity to definitively defeat Yamaguchi without requiring the judges.

Lee defends her coveted belt against Yamaguchi in a rematch at ONE: Immortal Pursuit.

“I won the first match, but this is my chance to do it right, the way I usually do it. I like to finish my bouts in devastating fashion, and that is

how I see this match ending.

I am going to finish her,” the 21-year-old said.

“Mei (Yamaguchi) is a tough opponent and she has never been finished before.

All of her losses are by decision. I know she is gritty and she is tough, but this time it is going to be different.”

Ever since defeating Yamaguchi in their internationallyacclaimed Bout of the Year 2016 clash at ONE: Ascent to Power in May 2016, capturing

the inaugural ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship in the process, Lee has displayed a complete evolution in her martial arts techniques.

This past March at ONE: Warrior Kingdom, the “Unstoppable” heroine flashed the crisp Muay Thai skills she learned from the many world champions at Evolve MMA, and unleashed it on Jenny “Lady GoGo” Huang in her first title defense. Her pinpoint striking led to a third-round TKO.

Del Monte prepares another share sale

B2

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017

B1

DoF: Agus rehab to cost P54b status of the hydro-electric plants, said the timing of the rehabilitation of the facilities was appropriate.

HE government needs “Let us do it now [because] we are not approximately P54 billion under pressure,” Dominguez told Benato finance the rehabilitation videz at a recent executive committee meeting of the Department of Finance. of the Agus-Pulangi hydro power Benavidez said the government must plants of National Power Corp. rehabilitate the plants to take advantage in Mindanao in order to increase of an expected power oversupply in Mindanao in the next three years. their output and extend service Benavidez said the Agus 6 facility life by 30 more years, Finance would be rehabilitated first being the Secretary Carlos Dominguez III oldest facility and with the biggest output, followed by Agus 2 and Agus 7. said Friday.

The rehabilitation of units 3-5 of Agus Dominguez, following a report by Napocor president Pio Benavidez on the 6 will cost around $172.5 million; Agus

By Julito G. Rada

T

2, $207 million; Agus 7, $62.10 million; Agus 4 and 5, $245.07 million; Pulangi 4, $293.25 million; and Agus 1, $92 million.

The total estimated cost of rehabilitating the facilities is around $1.07 billion or approximately P54 billion.

Benavidez said plants were currently operating at around 60 percent of their over 900-megawatt rated capacity.

He said the rehabilitation replace old transformers electrical equipment to make the power plants more reliable.

The rehabilitation could take place from four to five years and would increase the total capacity by an average of 10 percent for each facility. Total capacity after the rehabilitation would

reach over 1,000 megawatts, Benavidez said.

He said the rehabilitation should be done phase by phase because the facilities could not be shut down simultaneously.

Agus 6 is the oldest after operating for 40 years, followed by Agus 2 (37 years) and Agus 7 (34 years). Other facilities include Agus 4, 5 and Pulangi 4 (31 years) and Agus 1 (25 years).

Dominguez last week said the rehabilitation of Agus-Pulangi hydro power plants in Mindanao would be included in the second basket of projects to be presented by Manila to Beijing for possible financing.

Dominguez said in a briefing the re-

habilitation of Agus-Pulangi was critical because power would be essential to carry out the implementation of the Duterte administration’s ambitious infrastructure projects.

He cited a discussion on the second basket of projects during the latest visit of the Philippine economic team to Beijing recently.

“We just reported that the Kaliwa Dam project and Chico River project have already gotten the nominees for the three potential bidders and we told them that we were moving ahead and going to get the bidding process going so that we can move forward with those two projects,” he told reporters.

Chinese investors eye $200-m Panda bonds

SM IN PUERTO PRINCESA. The SM Group launches its anchor retail brands in Puerto Princesa, one of the country’s main tourist destinations. These include The SM Store, SM Supermarket and SM Appliance Center, as well as specialty brands Ace Hardware and Watsons with a combined floor area of over 15,000 square meters. Leading the inaugural rites are (from left) Bernard Paul Lim, senior vice president for operations of Ace Hardware; Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron; SM Prime Holdings Inc. director and chairman of the executive committee Hans Sy; and Gilberto Calixto, senior assistance VP for operations of Ace Hardware.

Semirara ups royalty payments to DoE, local government units

By Alena Mae S. Flores SEMIRARA Mining and Power Corp. tripled its firsthalf royalty payments to the Energy Department to P1.69 billion from P575 million year-on-year.

“Our continued partnership with the DoE allows us to create and deliver shared value to the government and our host communities. With the increased royalty payments, they can undertake more programs and projects for our countrymen,” said

SMPC president and chief operating officer Victor Consunji.

SMPC attributed the surge in government remittances to increased production and expanding operations.

The company aims to increase coal production to 16 million metric tons in the next two to three years.

SMPC produced 12 million metric tons of the indigenous fuel in 2016.

SMPC said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange Friday about P676

million of the P1.69-billion royalty payments would go to the local government units where SMPC operates.

The province of Antique will receive P135 million while the municipality of Caluya and Barangay Semirara will receive P304 million and P237 million, respectively.

The rest of the amount, or over P1 billion, will be retained by the national government.

Under the Local Government Code of 1991, local government units are entitled to a 40 percent share of royal-

ty proceeds from petroleum, coal, geothermal, hydrothermal and wind resources.

SMPC remittances in 2015 accounted for 83 percent of the P2.2 billion in total government royalty collections from energy resource and production.

Western Visayas, SMPC’s host region, received the biggest LGU share at nearly P725 million.

SMPC recorded a 24-percent increase in net income after tax in the first half to P7.86 billion from P6.36 bil-

lion on year due to higher coal production and electricity output.

SMPC earlier announced that net of eliminations, its coal business, Sem-Calaca Power Corp., and Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp. contributed P4.23 billion, P2.14 billion, and P1.50 billion, respectively.

Before eliminations, coal, Sem-Calaca, and SLPGC recorded a core net income after tax of of P5.32 billion, P1.15 billion and PHP1.40 billion, respectively.

IN BRIEF Jeepney e-payment scheme AF PAYMENTS INC., a consortium led by Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp., said it has developed an electronic payment systems for the government’s public utility jeepney modernization program.

“We are ready to support the Department of Transportation’s PUJ modernization program,” AF Payments president Peter Maher said Friday.

“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,” he added.

Beep card is a tap-and-go payment system accepted in all three elevated railways (LRT 1, LRT 2, and MRT 3), Manila-Cavite Expressway, North Luzon Expressway and at select bus lines, FamilyMart, and Robinsons Movieworld branches. It is reloadable and valid for up to four years.

The beep can also use to pay in P2P buses..

Under the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program, transport cooperatives and corporations can avail of financial assistance, on top of a government subsidy, to upgrade their fleet with low-carbon emission, safe and efficient units.

The program seeks to upgrade and modernize some 200,000 jeepneys over 15 years old with the modern PUV over the next three years. Darwin G. Amojelar

Stranded coal assets probed SEN. Joel Villanueva wants to find out from the Energy Regulatory Commission if banks, developers and distribution utilities investing in coal-fired projects are not passing on the stranded assets to consumers.

“We want to scrutinize if these banks and financiers have looked at the likelihood of stranded assets when they provided support to these power plants in correspondence to the proper implementation of environmental regulation, including a coal tax and a more effective energy competition policy,” Villanueva said.

Stranded coal plant assets or assets that are not delivering an economic return in line with the expectations is a growing risk in the Philippines.

Villanueva cited the recent report undertaken by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis and Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities that explained how stranded coal assets were inevitable in the country and faced the possibility of becoming a growing material risk.

The stranded coal asset cost is already being experienced in Mindanao due to an oversupply of approximately 700 megawatts of coal and hydro in an island grid lacking national connectivity.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

MARITIME GUARDIAN. Minor and major ports in the country will now be more secured and guarded, as the National Maritime Safety and Security Agency is now accredited by the Office For Transportation Security of the Department of Transportation to perform maritime security oversight duties and functions to seaports and shipyards. Shown after receiving the accreditation are (from left) Erwin Motin of the Namssa legal department; Gen. Napoleon Cuaton, OTS-head executive assistant; Capt. Jesser Cordova, Namssa director general; Transportation Undersecretary and OTS administrator Arturo Evangelista; David Choi, Namssa head of general affairs; and Sung Hee Lee, Korean Register of Shipping country manager.

CHINESE investors have expressed interest in Manila’s planned Panda bond issue worth $200 million set to be sold in China later this year, National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said Friday.

De Leon said in a briefing the Philippine delegation that conducted a non-deal roadshow in China recently met about 13 potential investors, a combination of banks and asset management corporations. “... So basically they are very enthusiastic about the growth narrative of the Philippines. It is the first time that we are doing this on an investor roadshow, on a non-deal basis, anticipating that eventually the Philippines would make its first footprint in the Panda market,” De Leon said. “… the Bank of China will also be there to provide that kind of liquidity. They are the only ones that can engage on the repo transaction... they are eagerly awaiting when will be the launch... ,” she added.

She said the Philippines would continue having discussions with the Chinese regulators, including the People’s Bank of China, on the planned issuance.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III earlier said the Panda bond market was regulated by China’s central bank, PBOC. Any potential issuer, thus, must first apply through the PBOC before any other Chinese regulator.

Dominguez announced in the middle of the year the plan to issue Panda bonds in China as part of efforts to raise additional funds to help finance the Duterte administration’s ambitious “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program.

Under the program, the government aims to build railways, airports, seaports, highways, and irrigation projects to further stimulate domestic economic activities in the countryside.

The government also plans to put up a 24-kilometer subway in Metro Manila to decongest the metropolis of heavy traffic that has been causing an approximately ₱2.4 billion in economic loss daily. Julito G. Rada

Qualcomm-NXP deal gets approval of PCC

By Othel V. Campos THE Philippine Competition Commission said Friday it approved the acquisition of shares in NXP Semiconductors N.V. by Qualcomm River Holdings B.V. Qualcomm River is a subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc., a leading manufacturer of chipsets and other equipment used in gadgets.

Qualcomm River will indirectly own 97.5 percent of NXP Philippines Inc. after the transaction.

Qualcomm River plans to acquire all the issued and outstanding common shares of NXP Semiconductors, a company based in the Netherlands, and the parent company of NXP Philippines Inc. NXP Philippines is a stock corporation organized in the Philippines. It handles and manages computer data, and is into data processing, data storage, systems design and analy-

Cebu Pacific investing over P100m to assist PWDs

By Darwin G. Amojelar CEBU Pacific has invested over P100 million to deploy facilities to provide the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility.

The Gokongwei-led airline carrier said it deployed 35 disabled passenger lifts to help PWDs and PRMs. The DPLs will allow PWDs and PRMs to board and deplane aircraft safely, easily and more comfortably.

Cebu Pacific also unveiled its

Customer Command Center, an integrated facility and technology for social intelligence and customer engagement.

Tasked to assist travelers on their concerns and inquiries, the 24/7 command center is equipped with social monitoring, publishing and engagement tools.

The CEB command center, which went online in August, is manned by a 55-strong integrated customer care team.

Aside from CEB’s official Facebook and Twitter pages,

they also handle schedule changes through the hotline.

“The Customer Command Center is the physical representation of our enhanced customer-first efforts. Our long-term goal is to build lasting relationships with our customers, and this is an airlinewide initiative, driven by data, technology and a lot of heart,” Candice Iyog, vice president for marketing and distribution of Cebu Pacific, said.

The team also works closely with the airline’s

Network Control Center, especially during weather or other flight disruptions, so it can provide passengers with the most updated information and options.

Cebu Pacific offers flights to a total of 37 domestic and 25 international destinations, operating an extensive network across Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and the US. Its 61-strong fleet is comprised of two Airbus A319, 36 Airbus A320 and eight Airbus A330.

sis, data communication and microfilming.

The commission in a decision dated October 12, 2017 said the transaction did not result in substantial lessening of competition in the relevant market.

“The transaction does not result in the substantial lessening of competition in the relevant market since the parties do not appear to be operating in the same market in the Philippines,” the decision read.

The PCC, the country’s anti-trust body, is mandated under the Philippine Competition Act to review mergers and acquisitions to ensure these deals will not harm the interest of consumers.

To date, there are 127 merger filings by local and international companies, worth a combined P2.016 trillion in terms of notifications, and P1.996 trillion in terms of transaction value.

The commission said 36 involve global deals.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Friday, October 13, 2017

F OREIGN E XCHANGE R ATE Currency

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

51.3850

Japan

Yen

0.008907

0.4577

UK

Pound

1.326400

68.1571

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128080

6.5814

Switzerland

Franc

1.025536

52.6972

Canada

Dollar

0.801796

41.2003

Singapore

Dollar

0.739590

38.0038

Australia

Dollar

0.781900

40.1779

Bahrain

Dinar

2.653787

136.3648

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266660

13.7023

Brunei

Dollar

0.736865

37.8638

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000074

0.0038

Thailand

Baht

0.030211

1.5524

UAE

Dirham

0.272301

13.9922

Euro

Euro

1.183200

60.7987

Korea

Won

0.000883

0.0454

China

Yuan

0.151752

7.7978

India

Rupee

0.015373

0.7899

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.236967

12.1765

New Zealand

Dollar

0.712800

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033122

36.6272 1.7020 Source: PDS Bridge

B2

Business

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market extends rally; banks up T

Del Monte prepares another share sale

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index climbed 45.13 points, or 0.5 percent, to a new record high of 8,447.94 on a value turnover of P9.6 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 106 to 91, with 45 issues unchanged.

BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender in terms of assets, rose 3.3 percent to P143.30, while Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second largest bank, advanced 2.5 percent P90.55. Security Bank Corp., the fifth biggest lender, advanced 3.1 percent to P259.80.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which has interests in toll roads, rail operation, electricity and water distribution, and

By Jenniffer B. Austria

HE stock market extended a rally Friday to lift the benchmark index to another record high, with banks and select blue chips leading the charge.

hospitals added 1.3 percent to P6.85.

The rest of Asian investors, meanwhile, headed into the weekend cautiously upbeat on Friday after US traders took a breather from their recent run of records while uncertainty about Donald Trump’s tax plans are keeping the dollar reined in.

Wall Street’s three main indexes stepped back after clocking up a number of all-time highs in recent weeks fueled by hopes for the earnings season and confidence the US economy is in good shape.

But dealers across Asia built on the previous day’s gains, with Tokyo pushing on after hitting a 21-year high earlier in the week.

Japan’s Nikkei rallied one percent, although embattled Kobe Steel fell nine percent on a report that its widening quality scandal has spread to more than 30

foreign customers, including Boeing and General Motors. the firm has shed more than 40 percent since the story broke last weekend.

Sydney climbed 0.3 percent and Singapore added 0.5 percent, while Shanghai ended 0.1 percent higher and Hong Kong was 0.1 percent up.

Wellington, Taipei and Jakarta also rose but Seoul slipped 0.1 percent.

The dollar was struggling to break out against its major peers as questions swirl over the future of Trump’s promised tax plans, with some members of his Republican party said to be concerned about the possible effects on the country’s debt mountain.

Last month’s release of a proposal outlining massive changes to the tax code boosted the greenback but the unit has pared some of those gains.

“There appeared to be a significant

compromise brewing amongst Republicans (on Thursday) but given the bloated nature of the current tax code, for every compromise tabled there seems to be another band-aid fixed elsewhere,” said Stephen Innes, head of Asia-Pacific trading at OANDA. “Understanding and patience will be the name of the game for this to pass but it would not surprise me if we found ourselves back dead in the water next week.”

Easing concerns about Spain’s Catalan independence crisis provided support to the euro.

And the pound, which has been hurt by uncertainty surrounding Prime Minister Theresa May, was up after a report in a German newspaper saying Britain could get a two-year extension to complete Brexit as officials haggle over terms of the divorce. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 4.52 15,000 59.75 20,750 99.9 2,467,120 143.3 2,953,870 2.33 6,022,000 35.9 133,000 16.1 570,300 32.25 2,051,500 8.26 600 0.7 119,000 1.75 114,000 960 420 0.69 6,326,000 90.55 5,613,900 0.84 146,000 12.86 27,900 58.25 51,240 240 180 109 840 57.45 407,150 259.8 772,290 1,935 115 86.8 29,050

67,750 1,237,951 246,478,825.50 415,983,923 14,501,670 4,786,485 9,181,830 65,332,850 4,956 83,300 199,660 403,200 4,331,360 505,106,438.50 122,640 358,794 2,977,389 43,028 92,770 23,643,483 198,264,416 222,525 2,522,670

800,480 -100,457,865 30,326,427 9,350 -1,439,290 -1,507,425 113,750 141,869,230 -1,275,255 -1,491,956 116,212,736 -222,525 -

41.8 10.7 0.76 1.37 19 0.221 5.01 15.28 180 41.3 19.04 64.05 72 1.91 6.13 11.4 10.02 14.82 12.88 7.04 5.6 1.61 18.54 66.5 16.52 12.28 19.9 1.79 244.8 60.6 4.87 3.19 22.75 31.4 19.86 16.42 289.4 0.212 10.5 2.99 6.66 9.96 6 9.8 1.76 11.2 66 6.2 306 4.55 4.42 2.45 13.46 4.6 0.141 1.23 148 3.45 2.08 0.96

INDUSTRIAL 42 1,204,900 10.86 1,036,400 0.77 121,000 1.38 114,000 19.2 13,900 0.221 810,000 5.01 4,722,100 15.3 2,739,700 180 60 42.3 556,000 19.1 13,500 64.05 10 73 570 1.94 196,000 6.22 720,400 11.68 4,400 10.06 7,055,700 14.84 1,560,100 12.9 1,681,100 7.05 1,686,600 5.71 24,144,700 1.61 1,000 18.54 903,500 66.5 213,070 17.12 425,800 12.32 9,900 20.35 6,306,400 1.86 303,000 247 859,040 60.6 140 4.98 1,134,000 3.24 25,000 22.75 300 31.45 1,400,800 19.86 383,100 16.44 4,768,800 289.6 224,320 0.219 1,480,000 10.5 103,300 2.99 22,000 6.67 48,600 9.99 2,808,400 6.15 38,000 10 10,500 1.77 496,000 11.3 983,100 66 1,459,840 6.5 181,300 308 3,700 4.7 653,000 4.42 33,000 2.48 427,000 13.5 377,400 4.6 35,000 0.141 290,000 1.27 45,000 149 1,327,820 3.47 29,000 2.13 1,347,000 0.97 249,000

50,633,495 11,217,332 92,900 156,710 266,664 179,050 23,727,300 41,934,970 11,040 23,356,385 258,368 640.5 41,240 375,800 4,499,910 50,216 71,020,178 23,197,084 21,823,274 11,916,260 137,503,363 1,610 16,805,252 14,225,589.50 7,231,798 121,662 126,610,456 550,920 212,076,084 8,484 5,634,198 80,180 6,825 44,108,815 7,617,252 78,520,390 65,090,138 318,480 1,088,958 65,780 324,231 28,088,673 233,950 103,100 876,850 11,151,394 97,083,038.50 1,155,348 1,136,866 3,049,670 147,890 1,056,960 5,094,966 161,400 40,890 56,060 197,144,378 100,170 2,862,830 239,450

5,576,180 1,765,684 2,760 -14,685,988 -109,942 -1,920 27,444,464.00 8,104,400 -3,993,286 -6,654,045 -81,410,024 -1,060,096.00 -5,241,002 -10,697,754 11,020 29,467,292 82,328 29,010,635 2,473,790.00 -37,130,732 5,446,546 50,830 -4,239,356.00 -665,528 77,519.50 438,003 -316,420 1,622,970 -96,030 3,255,026 10,845,828 -31,050 -17,310 -

0.345 74.4 16.44 1.1 6.93 0.395 0.395 1,060 8.4 15.9 7.6 4.9 1,207 7.9 75.75 0.85 5.73 17.32 6.74 0.05 1.28 2.11 100.2 2.61 939 1.43 290.2 0.27 0.212

HOLDING FIRMS 0.345 120,000 74.8 1,005,670 16.44 4,590,600 1.1 303,000 6.95 7,600 0.405 17,880,000 0.4 3,510,000 1,071 739,665 8.45 3,195,900 16 4,032,700 7.6 14,400 4.9 1,000 1,220 145,090 7.99 174,600 75.75 1,545,280 0.85 1,666,000 5.73 1,154,900 17.5 934,600 6.85 30,876,500 0.05 33,140,000 1.28 438,000 2.11 945,000 101 444,080 2.61 3,000 952 308,220 1.43 326,000 299 6,570 0.275 990,000 0.212 3,010,000

41,700 75,223,967 76,024,868 334,300 52,730 7,216,700 1,407,700 790,995,085 27,020,457 64,724,768 109,448 4,900 176,094,165 1,394,110 118,013,912 1,417,070 6,649,548 16,350,916 211,405,192 1,672,410 577,150 2,027,280 44,678,854 7,830 292,901,455 467,750 1,961,842 268,000 641,780

3,137,723.50 -21,516,540 220,000 284,602,910 -9,028,104.00 3,034,390 -1,292,400 -22,489,284 64,074 -2,428,336.00 69,678,445 21,100 9,023,111 94,005,555 -648,424.00 -

1,617,220 40,916,210 38,860 1,035,510 1,041,610 652,082,895 526,790 29,128,218 100,800 1,210,150 146,050 292,520 1,094,480 184,200 3,121,435 201,830 28,800 21,404,830 8,039,940 338,910

-1,262,140 357,960 -147,000 -113,649,185 -83,950 3,448,322.00 0 52,250 666,505 4,561,800.00 284,900 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

4.51 59 101 139 2.56 36.15 16.1 31.3 8.26 0.7 1.8 960 0.69 88.35 0.84 12.86 57.5 240 111 58 252 1,935 86.9

4.52 59.75 101 143.3 2.56 36.15 16.1 32.35 8.26 0.7 1.8 960 0.7 90.6 0.84 12.86 58.6 240 112 58.6 259.8 1,935 86.9

4.51 59 99.7 138.7 2.3 35.9 16.1 31.2 8.26 0.7 1.74 960 0.68 88.1 0.84 12.86 57.35 238.8 109 57 252 1,935 86.8

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

42.1 10.86 0.76 1.38 19.3 0.221 5.03 15.34 184.8 42.05 19.04 64.05 72 1.92 6.41 11.4 10.08 14.96 13.2 7.11 5.61 1.61 18.54 67 16.8 12.28 19.96 1.82 244.8 60.6 5.08 3.19 22.75 31.5 19.94 16.68 292 0.215 10.8 2.99 6.7 10.04 6.25 10 1.78 11.68 66.65 6.2 307 4.55 4.7 2.46 13.64 4.74 0.141 1.24 148.5 3.45 2.12 0.96

42.3 10.92 0.78 1.38 19.38 0.225 5.05 15.5 184.8 42.3 19.8 64.05 73 1.94 6.58 11.68 10.14 14.96 13.2 7.14 5.74 1.61 18.8 67.3 17.2 12.32 20.45 1.88 248.2 60.6 5.1 3.24 22.75 31.7 19.94 16.68 292 0.22 10.8 2.99 6.7 10.04 6.25 10 1.78 11.7 66.65 6.5 311 4.7 4.8 2.5 13.64 4.74 0.141 1.27 149 3.47 2.15 0.97

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 GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA PRIME ORION SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOLID GROUP TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG ZEUS HLDG

0.355 75.75 16.86 1.1 6.93 0.4 0.4 1,070 8.45 16.28 7.68 4.9 1,210 8.1 77.95 0.87 5.83 17.58 6.76 0.051 1.28 2.18 101 2.61 947 1.45 290.2 0.275 0.216

0.355 75.75 16.86 1.11 6.95 0.41 0.405 1,075 8.47 16.28 7.68 4.9 1,221 8.1 77.95 0.87 5.89 17.96 6.87 0.052 1.37 2.18 101 2.61 957 1.45 299 0.275 0.216

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

4.94 1.11 8.84 2.37 1.06 42.85 3.81 5.04 5.25 0.52 1.27 1.27 0.221 0.47 41.6 0.69 0.144 2.05 1.58 0.89

4.95 1.15 8.84 2.45 1.08 43.6 3.83 5.1 5.25 0.52 1.27 1.29 0.226 0.475 42.5 0.7 0.144 2.06 1.6 0.9

4.92 1.1 8.81 2.35 1.05 42.85 3.8 4.9 5.25 0.51 1.27 1.23 0.221 0.47 41.6 0.69 0.144 2.02 1.57 0.88

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

5.44 0.325 0.41 0.48 6.42 26.75 1.82 3.19 35.95 1.05 0.87 6.1

5.48 0.335 0.41 0.53 6.56 27.3 1.83 3.19 36.75 1.06 0.89 6.13

5.4 0.32 0.395 0.48 6.41 26.6 1.81 3.19 35.6 1.04 0.87 6.05

5.45 0.33 0.395 0.53 6.41 26.8 1.82 3.19 36.5 1.05 0.89 6.09

26,089,300 26,670,000 7,450,000 23,490,000 3,268,000 2,866,200 315,000 1,000 20,747,600 333,000 4,000 4,772,600

142,025,279 8,706,550 3,002,150 11,965,800 21,093,488 76,759,540 573,610 3,190 756,574,105 346,870 3,500 29,041,411

101,382,883 26,500 1,108,403 11,052,230 273,000 62,528,810 148,714

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

20.2 40.25 1.66 0.55 0.051 11.02 5.23 10.3 0.07 111 9 9.6 7.12 2.28 2,068 6.09 20 13.3 2.4 2.84 104.1 8.4 0.157 1.39 3.35 15.7 4.2 1.25 17.18 0.58 2.89 7.38 4.27 17.02 2.35 5.08 174 9.35 1,665 1.48 0.39 52.6 97.75 6.2 4.1 1.6 4 1.14 8.2

20.25 40.25 1.66 0.55 0.053 11.02 5.23 10.36 0.072 112.1 9 9.67 7.6 2.28 2,072 6.09 20.35 13.3 2.41 2.85 105.5 8.4 0.159 1.41 3.4 15.7 4.3 1.27 17.32 0.62 2.89 7.49 4.27 17.02 2.35 5.08 174 9.35 1,665 1.49 0.395 53.6 98 6.28 4.12 1.64 4.1 1.14 8.22

19.8 40.05 1.62 0.54 0.051 11 5.23 10.2 0.07 110 8.7 9.5 7.07 2.16 2,038 6.02 19.06 13.3 2.25 2.79 104.1 8.39 0.157 1.36 3.13 15.68 4.19 1.25 17 0.56 2.8 7.06 4.19 17.02 2.29 5.08 170 9.1 1,638 1.4 0.39 52.5 97.5 6.1 4.08 1.59 3.97 1.04 8.09

SERVICES 19.8 40.1 1.65 0.55 0.052 11 5.23 10.3 0.072 111.6 8.98 9.56 7.25 2.16 2,040 6.02 20.3 13.3 2.3 2.79 104.5 8.39 0.157 1.36 3.3 15.68 4.19 1.26 17.18 0.61 2.81 7.1 4.19 17.02 2.31 5.08 172 9.19 1,641 1.44 0.395 52.8 97.9 6.28 4.1 1.62 4.01 1.06 8.11

35,400 49,400 381,000 1,002,000 27,730,000 6,000 200 10,363,100 15,520,000 400,260 16,500 1,960,800 125,300 53,000 48,945 266,900 269,500 400 12,214,000 33,000 917,560 341,000 1,780,000 232,000 429,000 2,600 386,000 460,000 3,391,500 231,000 93,000 8,909,600 1,704,000 200 790,000 200 1,692,590 598,700 94,925 5,839,000 340,000 2,927,150 1,515,590 155,400 42,205,000 10,978,000 7,725,000 31,222,000 5,716,500

709,715 1,981,610 627,070 548,310 1,442,260 66,080 1,046 106,304,280 1,091,880 44,669,505 145,950 18,730,613 901,891 119,590 100,003,680 1,608,382 5,432,120 5,320 28,305,370 93,200 95,859,457 2,864,150 279,740 320,820 1,395,160 40,816 1,634,010 575,620 58,088,724 135,880 260,890 63,675,337 7,192,810 3,404 1,818,460 1,016 287,740,500 5,513,696 156,097,770 8,419,980 134,050 154,732,889.50 148,255,456.50 972,301 173,056,650 17,702,310 31,111,170 33,466,020 46,382,832

-169,520 13,186,160 32,019,924 271,850 3,555 -50,155,950 236,600 9,872,259 -9,450 42,000 -15,832,618 23,124,761 -349,310 170,000,000 9,130 -21,722,425 2,493,940 -77,676,309.50 -129,079,671 18,570 -610,970 6,415,560 4,372,140 245,660 -1,439,128

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

0.0026 1.88 5 2 1.6 0.39 8.19 2.64 0.26 0.181 0.2 0.01 1.9 6.91 1.74 0.54 1.03 0.012 0.012 0.011 2.48 8.08 9.3 44.9

0.0026 1.9 5.08 2 1.6 0.39 8.38 2.64 0.265 0.187 0.2 0.011 1.9 7.03 1.74 0.54 1.05 0.013 0.012 0.012 2.53 8.08 9.35 44.9

0.0025 1.83 4.96 1.89 1.5 0.375 8.03 2.51 0.26 0.18 0.2 0.01 1.85 6.9 1.71 0.51 1.02 0.012 0.012 0.011 2.48 7.88 9.11 44.1

MINING & OIL 0.0026 72,000,000 1.84 6,851,000 5.08 137,000 1.9 140,000 1.55 8,440,000 0.375 210,000 8.29 50,700 2.56 6,392,000 0.26 170,000 0.187 23,190,000 0.2 1,050,000 0.011 3,300,000 1.85 837,000 7.03 3,897,700 1.73 4,000 0.51 3,000 1.02 224,000 0.012 31,600,000 0.012 11,200,000 0.012 34,700,000 2.53 32,000 7.94 1,445,800 9.17 8,300,600 44.25 2,342,600

183,300 12,755,210 684,830 266,100 12,982,320 79,800 411,377 16,326,750 44,250 4,274,150 210,000 33,100 1,565,370 27,172,240 6,890 1,560 230,460 379,300 134,400 396,400 80,360 11,468,123 76,738,099 103,747,240

812,190 -4,960 -123,200 3,928,750 275,970 3,236,142 -2,790,528 7,401,329 -54,994,975

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

39.9 540 530 106.5 105.6 541 5.75 1,040 1,040 1.05 108 1,066 1,018 105.1 76 81.25 76 81 79.5 79

39.9 540 530 106.5 107.9 541 5.75 1,050 1,050 1.06 108 1,066 1,018 105.1 76 81.25 76 81.5 79.5 80.45

39.2 539.5 530 106.5 105.6 541 5.72 1,040 1,040 1.05 108 1,066 1,018 105.1 75.5 81.2 76 81 79.5 79

PREFERRED 39.2 494,400 539.5 770 530 20 106.5 80 107.9 13,910 541 20 5.72 109,600 1,050 2,600 1,049 9,660 1.06 50,000 108 10 1,066 500 1,018 270 105.1 500 75.5 38,920 81.25 25,120 76 3,000 81.5 75,020 79.5 100,000 79.5 100,180

19,574,170 415,650 10,600 8,520 1,468,919 10,820 627,452 2,729,000 10,122,050 52,590 1,080 533,000 274,860 52,550 2,938,535 2,040,999 228,000 6,084,120 7,950,000 7,949,983.50

-440,625 -347,142 -104,000 -2,927,135 -8,040

LR WARRANT

2.48

2.57

2.45

WARRANTS 2.49 150,000

373,870

-

ITALPINAS PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

5 4.53 5.54

5.25 4.7 5.62

5 4.5 5.54

5.1 4.51 5.62

646,000 121,000 313,600

3,301,345 548,330 1,752,272

-449,258

FIRST METRO ETF

127

127.9

127

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 127.9 16,810

2,142,244

-74,038

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 4.93 1.13 8.81 2.45 1.06 43.35 3.82 4.9 5.25 0.52 1.27 1.29 0.223 0.475 41.95 0.7 0.144 2.03 1.6 0.9

328,000 36,220,000 4,400 424,000 982,000 15,029,700 138,000 5,893,100 19,200 2,358,000 115,000 235,000 4,920,000 390,000 74,600 292,000 200,000 10,501,000 5,075,000 382,000

T RADING S UMMARY FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

SME

SHARES

VALUE

28,334,025

1,563,989,817.16

88,301,624

1,495,198,026.045

116,244,423

2,421,801,884.855 2,118,613,853.995

PROPERTY

206,811,408

SERVICES

203,962,952

1,679,360,542.15

MINING & OIL

217,412,208

270,223,637.1946

GRAND TOTAL

862,164,974

9,556,937,849.40

FINANCIAL 2,064.42 (up) 38.80 INDUSTRIAL 11,061.80 (up) 5.74 HOLDING FIRMS 8,634.63 (down) 3.32 PROPERTY 3,954.74 (up) 42.64 SERVICES 1,701.60 (down) 11.16 MINING & OIL 13,674.22 (down) 116.43 PSEI 8,447.94 (up) 45.13 All Shares Index 4,938.11 (up) 9.83 Gainers: 91; Losers: 106; Unchanged: 45; Total: 242

DEL MONTE Pacific Ltd. plans to issue another $160 million worth of dollar-denominated preferred shares before the end of 2017, the underwriter handling the transaction said Friday.

The sale will be the second and final tranche of dollar denominated preferred shares under the company’s $360 million dollar denominated securities shelf registration approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission in 2016.

BDO Capital and Investments Corp. president Eduardo Francisco said at the sidelines of the Financial Executive of the Philippines annual conference said the the fruit canner and grower was now finalizing the planned fund raising activity.

“We hope to do it before the end of the year,” Francisco said.

Del Monte in April issued and listed $200 million worth dollar-denominated preferred shares to become the first company to register the securities with the Philippine Stock Exchange.

The company used the proceeds from the April fund raising activity to refinance debts.

Del Monte posted a net income of $0.7 million in the first quarter of its fiscal year, a turnaround from a $7-million net loss year-on-year, as a result of the robust performance of the Asian business.

The company last month said it was selling its USbased Sager Creek vegetable business to McCall Farms Inc, a family-owned business that manufactures brands such as Bruce’s Yams, Margaret Holmes and Glory Foods, for $55 million.

The sale will allow the company to focus on core business and explore new products.

RFM’s net profit rose to P211m in 3rd quarter RFM Corp., the food and beverage company owned by the Concepcion family, reported a net income of P211 million in the third quarter of 2017, up 20 percent year-on-year, on the back of higher revenues.

RFM said in a disclosure to the stock exchange thirdquarter revenues climbed seven percent to P3.16 billion on strong sales from ice cream products.

RFM president and chief executive Jose Concepcion III said Selecta Ice cream sales drove the strong third quarter performance of RFM after a relatively less-thanusual wet weather.

RFM’s ice cream joint venture with Unilever sells ice cream under the Selecta, Cornetto and Magnum brands.

Revenues from pasta brands Royal and Fiesta as well as milk and ready-todrink products were flat. The company said it expects sales to pick up in the fourth quarter as the Christmas selling season begins.

RFM noted a sustained increase in the revenues of its private label bread unit that also helped offset the weaker performance of other institutional revenue sources like flour.

The strong third quarter performance puts RFM on track of beating its 2016 net income of P1 billion. RFM’s net income stood at P719 million in the first nine months of the year 2017.

Jenniffer B. Austria

World HK activist guilty of contempt of court

HONG KONG―Jailed Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong spent his 21st birthday in court Friday where he was found guilty of contempt for obstructing the clearance of a major encampment during the city’s 2014 mass Umbrella rallies.

Wong, who had already pleaded guilty to the charge, and 19 other activists were all found guilty, but the judge, who is also handling the corruption trial of the city’s ex-leader Donald Tsang, did not set a date for sentencing.

According to a defense lawyer, there is no maximum penalty for contempt of court but other activists previously sentenced on contempt charges have received punishments of up to three-months.

Supporters in and outside the courtroom sang “Happy Birthday” prompting the 21-year-old Wong to smile and thank them.

Wong and two other student leaders were jailed in August for six to eight months for their roles in the initial protest that sparked the months-long Umbrella Movement demonstrations and street blockades in 2014, convictions rights groups have called politically motivated.

Joshua Wong’s father Roger Wong earlier told AFP he was surprised by the prison term and shocked by the reaction of Hong Kong’s legal community, with two powerful organizations releasing statements defending the judicial system and judges. AFP

Thais set for final goodbye BANGKOK―Monks led sombre ceremonies across Thailand Friday to mark one year since the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, as the grieving nation prepares to bid a final farewell to the beloved monarch in a spectacular cremation ceremony this month.

Revered as a demi-god and described as a “father” to all Thais, Bhumibol commanded deep devotion during his historic 70-year reign.

The past year has drawn out widespread scenes of collective mourning across the kingdom, with many Thais expunging colour from their wardrobes and donning only black and white for most of the year.

The solemn mood has deepened this month as the kingdom grapples with having to bid a final goodbye to the monarch during his October 26 cremation, part of an elaborate five-day funeral that will send Bhumibol’s spirit to the afterlife.

On Friday black-clad Thais streamed into temples, state agencies and the courtyard of the Bangkok hospital where Bhumibol passed away last year to give alms to Buddhist monks in his honor.

“I don’t want the cremation ceremony to take place, I just can’t cope with it,” 57-year-old Kanokporn Chavasith, one of hundreds of mourners gathering outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok, said through tears. AFP

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017 Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor

Chile penguins win battle in war against mining company LA HIGUERA, Chile―They may be less than a meter tall but they have conquered a Goliath: Chile’s vulnerable Humboldt penguins have thwarted-for now at least― a billion-dollar mining project in one of the country’s most depressed regions.

The rare species is only found on the coasts of Peru and Chile, which has created the National Humboldt Penguin Reserve -- but it’s also an

area rich in natural resources which has put the animals on a collision course with mining giant Andes Iron and their $2.5 billion project.

Conservationists jumped to their defense when the company unveiled plans to construct a huge open-cast mine and a port near the reserve, 600 kilometers north of Santiago.

The Dominga mine would have produced 12 million tonnes of iron

ore a year, making it the biggest of its kind in the country, and 150,000 tonnes of copper.

For months it made headlines amid a bitter national debate over economic development and environmental conservation that was fought out on social media and split the socialist government of Chilean President Michelle Bachelet.

The project was rejected in March by an environmental com-

mission but Andes Iron appealed the ruling.

In August, a special cabinet committee which included the energy and mines, health and environment ministers, finally vetoed the project citing of a lack of guarantees for the penguins.

Humboldts have been protected here since 1990, when the reserve was set up to encompass the islands of Dama, Choros and Gaviota, a stun-

ning nature trail beloved of whale, sea-lion and penguin watchers.

Rodrigo Flores, vice-president of the fisherman’s union in nearby Punta Choros, a jumping off point for tours of the islands, welcomed the move.

“Dominga is an invasive project, for nature and for society,” he told AFP. “It is incompatible with a place considered a hotspot of biodiversity at the global level.” AFP

Police investigate Weinstein N

EW YORK―The case against Harvey Weinstein took on an international dimension Thursday, with police in New York and Britain launching investigations―while a fourth woman accused the movie

COUNTRYSIDE SCENE. French shepherd Francois Cremier tends to his flock on October 11, 2017, in the Espiguette plain of southern France and whose herd is responsible for preserving its biodiversity by clearing it. AFP

California fires kill 31, deadliest in state’s history SANTA ROSA―The death toll from the raging California wildfires rose to 31 Thursday as body recovery teams used cadaver dogs to locate victims, making it the deadliest series of blazes in the state’s history.

The fires, which began on Sunday, have swept through California’s wine country, leaving thousands of people homeless and burning more than 76,000 hectares of land.

Gusty winds on Thursday

were hampering the efforts of the 8,000 firefighters battling 20 blazes, and weather conditions were not forecast to improve.

“What this means is that our fires will continue to burn erratically,” California fire chief Ken Pimlott told a news conference. “They have the potential to shift in any direction at any time.

“We are a long way from being done with this catastro-

phe,” he said.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) announced Thursday that the fires have claimed 31 lives, while Sheriff Rob Giordano of hard-hit Sonoma County said his department has received around 1,100 reports of missing persons.

Of those, “745 of them, roughly, have been located safe,” while “we still have

400 outstanding,” Giordano said, noting that the actual figure may be smaller because there are sometimes duplicate reports.

He said targeted body recovery efforts had begun in cases where all other leads were exhausted.

“We’re moving into a recovery phase,” he said. “We have cadaver dogs up here that can basically scent bodies and help us find people.” AFP

An avalanche of claims of sexual harassment, assault and rape by the hugely influential Hollywood producer have surfaced since the publication last week of an explosive New York Times report alleging a history of abusive behavior dating back decades.

On Thursday, American actress Rose McGowan became the fourth woman to accuse Weinstein of raping her.

A spokesman for the New York Police Department meanwhile confirmed to AFP it was investigating a 2004 case, but provided no details.

The New York Daily News reported that the case involved aspiring actress Lucia Evans, who earlier told the New Yorker magazine that Weinstein had forced her to perform oral sex on him.

And a statement from Scotland Yard said the Metropolitan Police were investigating “an allegation of sexual assault by Merseyside Police.”

It did not elaborate.

The Daily Telegraph said the case involved an actress now understood to be living in the Liverpool area.

McGowan berated Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in a blistering series of tweets on Thursday, claiming she told Amazon Studios chief Roy Price that Weinstein had raped her but was ignored.

Death toll from floods rises to 54

Trump throws future of Iran deal to Congress WASHINGTON―Donald Trump will unveil a more aggressive strategy to check Iran’s growing might Friday, withdrawing presidential backing for a landmark nuclear deal and targeting the country’s missile program and militia proxies.

During a White House speech at 12:45 pm (1645 GMT), Trump is expected to declare a 2015 deal, which curbed Iran’s nuclear program in return for massive sanctions relief, is no longer in the US national interest.

Officials say he will not kill the deal outright, or designate Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist organization―a move that would almost

certainly bring retaliatory action.

Instead, he will leave US lawmakers to decide whether they want to kick away one of the accord’s foundational pillars by “snapping back” sanctions against Iran.

Many lawmakers are waiting to see how Trump presents the choice, with no clear consensus even among Republicans on whether to torpedo the agreement.

In a statement to AFP, leading Republican Senator Marco Rubio described the accord as “fatally-flawed” and said he was open to legislation that would “substantially improve America’s ability to counter Iran’s nuclear, terrorism, militancy and regional threats.” AFP

MORNING MIST. A person walks through morning mist in downtown Lyon. AFP

It’s Mao or never: In Xi’s China, a village stubbornly clings to the past NANJIE, China―Disneyland has “Main Street, USA”, a monorail and Mickey Mouse. China’s Nanjie village has “East is Red Square”, red trams and Mao Zedong.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the hamlet in central Henan province that has become an attraction with its idealized vision of village life right out of the Communist past.

While the Communist Party prepares to give a second term to its current supremo, Xi Jinping, at a ma-

“Over & over I said it. He said it hadn’t been proven.

I said I was the proof,” she wrote.

Amazon Studios later said that Price―who has also been accused of sexual harassment by TV producer Isa Hackett―was “on leave of absence effective immediately.”

On Wednesday, Weinstein was seen in public for the first time in days when paparazzi descended upon him as he left his daughter’s home in Los Angeles.

“Guys, I’m not doing OK but I’m trying,” he said in a video obtained by ABC. “I got to get help. You know what, we all make mistakes.”

As he climbed into an oversized sports utility vehicle, he said he hoped people would give him “a second chance.”

The TMZ website reported that Weinstein later flew to Arizona to enter a rehabilitation center, possibly The Meadows, a facility northwest of Phoenix where golfer Tiger Woods and supermodel Kate Moss have been treated.

The allegations against a man who is a prominent supporter of liberal causes and a major Democratic Party fund raiser sent tremors through the party, with conservatives accusing Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton of waiting too long to disavow Weinstein. AFP

jor congress next week, Nanjie still clings firmly to Mao, while glossing over the turbulence and violence of his rule.

The village’s 3,700 residents wake up every morning to broadcasts praising Mao and start their work days with a hearty group rendition of “red” songs about the virtues of Communism.

Nanjie follows a retro model of collectively-owned enterprises and chirpy ideological indoctrination, appearing frozen in an era before mar-

ket reforms transformed China into the world’s second largest economy.

Tourists take small red trams with names like “Moderate Prosperity” and “Chinese Dream” from the giant Mao statue in the town’s iconic “East is Red Square” to parks, factories and public housing blocks where residents share stories about the joys of collectivism.

But its brand of Communism looks set to make a comeback, attracting more than just tourists these days, with Xi recently telling top officials

that the party “would lose its soul and direction” if it deviated from Marxism.

Even “Xi is asking everyone to study Chairman Mao,” said Wang Hongbin, who has been Nanjie’s party secretary since 1976 and will attend next week’s congress in Beijing.

Since taking power in 2012, Xi has pushed for more state control over the economy while Communist Party branches are being set up inside private enterprises for employees to study party ideology. AFP

HANOI-The death toll from the devastating floods and landslides in north and central Vietnam has jumped to 54, officials said Friday, in one of the deadliest weather disasters to hit the country in years.

Rescuers were desperately searching for 39 people still missing after heavy rains pounded several provinces this week, with forecasters warning of another major storm heading toward the country.

This week’s catastrophes destroyed thousands of properties and wiped out swathes of farmland, including outside Hanoi where part of a river dyke collapsed and flooded nearby communities.

“Our whole village lost all our fish and vegetables in the water,” 63-year-old farmer Ngo Van Thanh told statecontrolled VNExpress.

Villages, roads and homes across several provinces remained submerged Friday, as authorities tried to clear roads and reach isolated residents in the mountainous north, which was hit by deadly landslides. AFP

Dino Ray Directo III, Editor

B4

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017

Will Tesla’s e-truck finally be unveiled?

Elon Musk, Tesla CEO is plagued with production issues

Tesla moves

Trucks E-Truck &Buses unveiling to Nov 16 PIAA is choice of emergency response units EVERY PIAA customer enjoys the benefits of The PIAA Advantage, which features advanced technology from the best minds worldwide, lamps and bulbs for virtually every type of vehicle, and race-proven quality and durability supported by a One-year Warranty on its products.

Most important, everyone using PIAA products is assured of the finest illumination safety available at any price. “We have entrusted our fire truck’s lighting requirement with PIAA LED 24V for greater driving visibility. As an officer and a driver pump operator (DPO), it is a priority to ensure the safety of our crew and the general public everytime we respond to fire alarms. PIAA has taken our fire truck driving visibility to the next level,” states Jerome Brian Tang, Deputy Fire Chief, Brixton Hills Fire Prevention Unit.

Designed as aftermarket replacement driving lamps for 12v system of trucks, PIAA LED lamps feature innovative computer-controlled Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) technology that provides optimal thermal protection for longer life and greater performance. The in-lamp monitor modulates the length of the pulse up to 250 pulses per second, based on power and temperature situations.

“With the introduction of PIAA LED driving lamps, we’re now offering vehicle owners the convenient choice of outfitting their vehicles with high-quality LED lamps, because the LED lamps fit into the exact same mounting locations .” adds Johann Tiu of PIAA Ph. Thanks to The PIAA Advantage, the road to better visibility begins with PIAA. Founded in 1963, The PIAA Corporation offers nearly a half-century of expertise in developing and manufacturing world-class products that customers can use with pride and confidence. Offerings include Halogen, LED (Light Emitting Diode) lamp assemblies and bulbs, as well as a variety of related bulbs, installation kits, and accessories. PIAA lighting system are available in dealers nationwide and in Blade Autocenter stores in SM, Ayala and Robinsons Malls.

Text by Dino Ray V. Directo III

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ITING production problems, Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk pushed the unveiling of their much awaited big rig truck on Monday Manila time. In a post on Tweeter, the electric vehicle makers was in the process of diverting resources to fix production issues of its latest sedan known as the Model 3. Musk was quoted about Tesla’s Model 3 being in “deep in production hell” which echoed his own comments last July, when Tesla presented some of the first cars of that model range.

The Model 3 could help Tesla approach its goal of becoming more of a mass market producer. Recent comments have tempered expectations about the speed of the increase in production, though.

The Palo Alto, California-based company delivered just 220 Model 3 sedans and produced 260 in the third quarter. It had planned to produce more than 1,500.

Musk also tweeted the company was diverting resources to increasing battery production to help hurricane-hit Puerto Rico, where most residents remain without electricity.

Late last week Tesla reported that “production bottlenecks” had left it behind the planned ramp-up for the Model 3.

In response to a Tesla customer asking if he would get his car delivered this year, Musk tweeted, “December will be a big month, so probably, but it is impossible to be certain right now.”

A report from Wall Street Journal said parts of the Model 3 were being made by hand as recently as early September, which contributed to production delays.

Musk also said that Tesla would reschedule the unveiling of its semi-truck to Nov. 16 as it focuses on fixing production issues tied to Model 3 and increases battery production for Puerto Rico.

The unveiling of the truck, called Tesla Semi, has been delayed for the second time this year. Musk had initially said the truck would be unveiled in September, but he later rescheduled it to late October and recently this month.

Tesla’s Semi-Truck is a heavy duty all-electric truck that has a range of 200-300 miles on a full charge. Musk also revealed that compared to conventional trucks, the “Nikola” is 70 percent cheaper to maintain. “This truck will have the highest weight capability with long range capabilities,” adds Musk. The Semi Truck will be powered by an innovative battery that can handle an increased load bearing capacity and has the power to outrun any big rig in the market today. “Semi specs are better than anything I’ve seen reported so far. Semi eng/design team work is aces, but other needs are greater right now,” Elon replied to a twitter user who asked him about the specifications of the semi-truck. The renegade inventor from making a bold prediction that his electric truck can “out-torque any diesel semi” while be driven around “like a sports car.”

Musk also revealed that Tesla has sent more battery installers to Puerto Rico to help restore power after a Hurricane knocked out power on the island weeks ago.

DOTC optimistic about Centro support CENTRO Manufacturing Corporation, the country’s leading truck body builder, has expressed support to the various initiatives of the Department of Transportation, foremost among which is its forthcoming PUV Modernization Program. This Program seeks to upgrade and modernize some 200,000 jeepneys over 15 years old with the modern PUV over the next three years.

During the launch of the PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP) held in July, DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade emphasizes that the PUVMP is not anti-poor.

He further emphasized that the program’s primary goal is to give the commuting public a more convenient, reliable, efficient, and safe modes of public transportation.

“The PUV Modernization Program is not anti-poor. We are just protecting the safety of our commuting public. Sinusuportahan namin ang anumang marangal ba hanapbuhay. Ngunit sana, siguruhin ninyong ang inyong hanapbuhay ay hindi kumikitil ng buhay”, he said.

Centro Sales Manager Vic Belisario says that it is about time that we provide the cure to the ailing jurassic jeepneys on the road.

“Now is the time for us to upgrade our public transport system to make it at par with our neighbors and the more developed countries. We have the capacity to locally manufacture and assemble these PUVs thus gen-

Raffy Juan of Centro Manufacturing (middle) leads the Centro facility tour with DOTC officials. erating employment for the unem- implementation of the Motor Veployed and business opportunities hicle Inspection System as a prefor the SMEs that comprise the ma- requisite for vehicle registration. jority of our supplier base”.

This will ensure that all vehicles He also says that Centro also adhere to the mandated emission recognizes that the country is now and safety standards”. experiencing a record economic “We realize that the DOTr is growth and as such, trucks are now more active than ever before needed to spur its growth, espe- and is adamant in implementing cially in the logistics sector where changes on our Philippine roads goods have to be moved to over not only to alleviate traffic but 7,100 islands nationwide. “We also to improve safety and prosupport the government’s imple- mote environmental protection. mentation of the 15-year old rule We welcome these changes and on all commercial trucks to im- wish Secretary Tugade and the prove road safety on Philippine DOTr the best of luck as we ofroads and reduce operating costs. fer to him our full support and We also see the need for the strict cooperation”.

Kanapia Kalanduyan, Prof Aga Mayo Butocan and Kinsu Dalgan performed Binalig, a traditional style in the kulintang tradition of the Maguindanaon

Life

Isah V. Red, Editor Bernadette Lunas, Writer isahred@gmail.com SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

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A celebration of Muslim HISTORY AND CULTURE

M

ALL guests had a rare glimpse of Muslim life and traditions during the launch of Muslims of the Philippines: History and Culture at SM Aura Premier.

Spearheaded by Anak Mindanao (AMIN) through Representative Sitti Djalia Turabin Hataman in partnership with the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and SM, this traveling exhibition is a strong visual display of Muslim history and culture that brings together current research and interpretation by many scholars.

Members of the diplomatic corps led by US Ambassador Sung Kim, Singaporean Ambassador Kok Li Peng, Netherlands Ambassador Marion Derckx, and Vietnamese Ambassador Tuan toured the exhibit curated by Tao Inc.’s Marian Roces.

Other members of the diplomatic corps who graced the event were US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Michael and Eloisa Klecheski, Royal Thai Embassy First Secretary Rathanand Vichaidit and Minister Counsellor Rachaphum Viengsima, and Instituto Cervantes Manila Director Carlos Madrid.

Also present were art lovers Dr. Jaime Laya and Patricia Araneta; as well as members of the Muslim family. The latter included Princess Jacel H. Kiram of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo, Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) Commissioner Maisara C. Dandamun-Latip, Convenor of Mindanao Solidarity Network Sr. Maria Arnol Noel, National Commission on Muslim Filipino Commissioner Jamel P. Dinil, and action star Robin Padilla, During the launch, the atrium of SM Aura premier was transformed into a museum of traditional Muslim Attires, weaves, and artifacts that speak and represent Muslim’s rich heritage and way of life.

The Art and Culture Montage featured traditional and contemporary versions of attire worn by Maguindanao, Maranao, Tausug women, as well as the Takan (a Sama-speaking community). Artifacts like the Sarimanok, the legendary bird of the Maranao; Panolong, a wing like design of a vernacular house in Maranao; and musical instruments like the Gabbang, a Muslim bamboo xylophone and Dabakan, a singleheaded drum were also a big hit among shoppers.

Another highlight of the event was the musical performance of Professor Aga Mayo Butocan Kanapia Kalanduyan, and Kinsu Dalgan. They performed Binalig in the kulintang tradition of the Maguindanaon while playing the kulintang, the leading melodic instrument, the dabakan drum and gandingan gongs.

AMIN or Anak Mindanao is a Party List Organization composed of the marginalized sectors of the three peoples of Mindanao—the Moro, Lumad and the Christians Settlers.

It was founded upon the principle that tri-people unity is the key to the attainment of lasting peace and development of Mindanao. AMIN believes that the direct participation in the electoral exercise through the Party List System will contribute to the overall advancement of the Mindanao people’s struggle, hope and aspiration for just, peaceful and progressive Mindanao. It is a hope to every Mindanaoan’s dream possible for One peaceful and One progressive Mindanao.

The Muslims of the Philippines: History and Culture exhibit is one of the many exciting cultural events at SM Aura Premier.

Anak Mindanao Representative Congresswoman Sitti Djalia Turabin Hataman spearheaded ‘The Muslims of the Philippines’ exhibit and launch at SM Aura Premier.

HE US Ambassador Sung Kim

Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) Commissioner Maisara C. Dandamun-Latip

HE Vietnamese Ambassador Ly Quoc Tuan

Convenor of Mindanao Solidarity Network Sr. Maria Arnol Noel

Robin Padilla poses beside the sarimanok artifact

Avian Treasures of Hamilo Coast

Santelmo Cove, one of Hamilo Coast’s Marine Protected Areas, is a site for preservation programs such as giant clam seeding and regular reef monitoring.

Hamilo Coast’s pristine white sand beaches are home to a variety of marine life such as the nesting of sea turtles.

HAMILO Coast, a vast pristine, coastline that is home to rich marine life and abundant flora and fauna, is the perfect place for bird-watching enthusiasts. This activity captures the fine beauty of nature and is worth every cent and persistence. Recently, members from the Wild Birds Photographers of the Philippines (WBPP), an organization that shares the same passion Artificial reef balls were planted in Hamilo Coast to help in the restoration of the coral reefs, which today are flourishing with marine for bird watching and conservation photography, armed with their long lenses and life including corals and fish. cameras, visited the Coast in high hopes of capturing one of this sustainable community’s fine feathered treasures—species of birds, both rare and common, that mark their home in the area. Astonishingly, beautiful photographs of these birds in their most candid state were caught in vivid spectacles and featured in a monthlong exhibit at the Pico de Loro Beach and Country Club. The photographers were amazed at the number of birds and the species nesting around the Coast.

WBPP President Wins Paler exclaimed, “Hamilo Coast, a sprawling seaside sanctuary is fast becoming a favorite birding destination of WBPP. It is home to many endemic birds that are nurtured and taken cared of by the management against poachers and hunters that ply their trade in spite of strict government regulations.

The property makes it an ideal place for True giant clams were seeded off Santelmo Cove 10 years ago our feathered friends to seek refuge as and continue to thrive providing reef structures and aiding in the an alternative habitat where they can live improvement of overall water quality.

undisturbed with unrestricted freedom.

WBPP will certainly be a partner with Hamilo Coast in this endeavor, as part of its advocacy in helping propagate endemic birds through its conservation photography for future generations to come.”

According to Hamilo Coast’s Senior Manager for Sustainability Wes Caballa, “From the very beginning, Hamilo Coast has been implementing a lot of sustainability and conservation programs. Tapping the bird enthusiasts of WBPP is an effective way to show the world our efforts.

Through the birds captured by the lenses of their cameras, we will be able to expose the beauty of Hamilo Coast, since birds are indicators of a healthy environment. What better way to show their magnificence than through photographs.”

At the end of a fruitful day, five unrecorded species were discovered through lenses that witnessed marvelous sightings within Pico de Loro Cove. These photographs continue to bring awe to residents and guests at the property through the exhibit—a reminder that these winged residents form a vital part of what is today the seaside address of beach enthusiasts and those who long for the perfect weekend getaway.

While the preservation of nature remains a priority in Hamilo Coast, it will never fail to make this thriving seaside development the perfect place to witness infinite bounties of nature yet to be discovered.

Life

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

Therapy by Peach

TEACHER PEACH. Yoga instructor Peach Mascariñas teaches Relationship Development Intervention that helps parents guide their children with special needs.

By Robbie Pangilinan

Y

OGA teacher Peach Mascariñas is a Relationship Development Intervention Consultant-in-Training for families with children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder.

In one of her trips to the US, a friend introduced her to Relationship Development Intervention or RDI. RDI, unlike other special needs program, focuses on remediating the guiding relationship between parent and child. It teaches parents how to guide their child to seek out and succeed in truly reciprocal relationships, while addressing key core issues such as motivation, emotional regulation, episodic memory, self awareness, appraisal, flexible thinking to name a few.

“RDI concepts can be used in everyday life with your neurotypical kids, or with your employees, not just for individuals and families in the spectrum. I apply the concepts I have learned when I communicate with my son, or with others,” shares the single mom.

What Peach likes about RDI is it taught her ways to better guide her son and encourage good communication line with her son which she hopes to stay open until he grows older.

“I know that as he enters his teenage years, we will be arguing even more. I’ve seen friends struggle communicating with their neurotypical kids.

I’ve witnessed even more struggle with atypical

Peach starts her day with a meditation before she takes on her other responsibilities as a yoga instructor and a mother to her son.

kids. And I felt bad when I realized that those kids are not even in their teenage years and they couldn’t communicate properly with their parents, how much more when they do?” says Peach, who graduated at Yoga District, Washington D.C. Peach’s life has changed since she found yoga and it changed even more when she became an RDI Consultant-in-Training. While she helps families with children who have Autism Spectrum Disorder, she admits that RDI has also helped her a lot.

“I am hyperactive. Through yoga and RDI, I have trained myself to slow down and self regulate. I still struggle from time to time. I have learned to quiet my mind. I am in better control of my emotions and my thoughts. I am more present now. I value time and connecting with people even more now,” she adds.

Peach’s day starts at 4 in the morning when she does her meditation. At 4:30, the struggle to wake her son up for school begins. When his son is off to school, Peach teaches private yoga classes, starting at 6:30 a.m. then does her own yoga practice before lunch. She takes naps; answers work emails, or do her autism consultancy and reports mid day and goes back to teaching private yoga classes after work hours. She picks her son up from soccer training, tries her best to spend time with him at night by having dinner together, helping him with school stuff, and putting him to bed.

Peach is a single mom who enjoys an active lifestyle and traveling. She also stages sports events and does TV production with her company.

From yoga and RDI, Peach has learned the following: There are so many ways to communicate and verbal is just one of them. There is always something to be grateful for. Be in the present moment.

HEALTH BULLETIN

How to prevent dengue

Head lice can live up to 30 days on a person’s scalp by feeding on their blood

The facts of lice

PEDICULOSIS or head lice infestation is one of the most common health problems in the country, especially among children.

Aside from being irritating, head lice are contagious and tough to get rid of. They can also cause severe itchiness and infection of the scalp. Lice-infested children are often the targets of bullying in school, where they are called names and excluded from games and activities by their peers. Parents, on the other hand, feel incompetent and embarrassed for not being able to prevent head lice from infesting their children.

As a part of Lamoiyan Corporation’s advocacy to raise awareness about lice infestation issues, Licealiz Head Lice Treatment Shampoo shares the facts of lice to help spread correct information and educate the public on head lice.

Fact 1: Head lice are stealth experts.

Head lice are difficult to detect. Their small f lat bodies make it easy for them to lay f lat on hair and blend with their surroundings. Lice are also known to adapt to the hair color of their hosts, appearing darker when their host has dark hair, and lighter when their host has light hair.

And if their stealthy ways fail them, head lice have six legs with hook-like claws, making it easy for them to attach themselves to hair and crawl very fast to avoid getting caught.

Fact 2: Head lice reproduce exponentially.

Head lice can live up to 30 days on a person’s scalp by feeding on their blood. In its lifetime, a single female head louse can lay up to 100 eggs. This means that a small group of head lice can undergo an immense growth in population in a short period of time, increasing the chances of skin irritation and infection, and making it easier for head lice to spread and infest other people.

The sheer number of head lice is too overwhelming to completely be removed by suyod alone.

Fact 3: Anyone can get head lice.

Contrary to popular belief, head lice infestation is not a sign of poor hygiene or low social status. Head lice are highly contagious and can affect anyone, no matter how clean they are or their environment.

All it takes is physical contact with liceinfested people and objects for you to get infested; hugging a loved one, borrowing a cap or clothes from friends, or just putting your face too close to someone else’s – doing these things may have you itching and scratching in mere moments.

Fact 4: Lice infestation can be prevented.

Head lice are notoriously hard to detect, quick to reproduce, and highly contagious; however, despite all these, lice infestations are preventable with the right measures. Borrowing head ornaments and pieces of clothing may lead to lice infestation so it is better to avoid sharing hats, pillows, towels and even combs. Weekly hair inspections are also recommended; use a suyod to check your children and loved ones for head lice. If a family member is found with head lice, treat them immediately to prevent the lice from multiplying and spreading to other people.

Licealiz Head Lice Treatment Shampoo contains the active ingredient pyrethrin, a chrysanthemum extract, which effectively kills head lice.

Licealiz Head Lice Treatment Shampoo effectively kills lice and nits after two weeks of use and prevents recurring lice infestations after one week of use. Its active ingredient pyrethrin, a natural extract from chrysanthemum flowers, is clinically tested and proven safe and successful in killing lice and nits while its conditioning formula keeps hair soft, smooth and fragrant.

For more information on head lice prevention and treatment, visit www.facebook.com/licealiz.

THE rainy season is a refreshing respite after the blistering summer. However, it also comes with several illnesses and diseases— the most dreaded of all is dengue.

Dengue is caused by a bite of an infected mosquito that can cause serious health problems. MediCard President and CEO Dr. Nicky Montoya says the risk of getting infected with the disease increases during the wet season. “As of now. There’s still no vaccine for dengue fever so the best course of action is prevention.”

Studies show that the most common breeding ground of mosquitoes is stagnant water: these include spare tires, uncovered buckets and cans, flower vases and pots, and pails in the bathroom, thus make sure to empty them and check them regularly. It is also advised to empty and cover swimming pools, unclog the gutters, and cover your trashcan.

Putting screen on doors and windows is an effective way to keep mosquitoes from entering your home. Growing plants like citronella, marigold, and basil, and using citronella or eucalyptus oil as air freshener also help in warding off these insects.

Minimize areas of exposed skin. Wear long sleeves, pants, and socks whenever you visit mosquito-infested places.

When outdoors or when you go to mosquito-infested areas, apply mosquito repellent to all exposed areas of your skin.

Dr. Montoya recommends mosquito repellent with 10 percent

concentration of DEET, an active ingredient that effectively deters mosquitoes.

Eat food rich in vitamin C like orange, tomatoes, papaya, broccoli, and dark leafy vegetables. “Food that is packed with vitamin C helps increase white blood cells, which protects the body from infectious diseases and foreign invaders,” says the medical expert.

5 reasons why you shouldn’t skip breakfast IT’S EASY to skip meals in the morning especially when you’re frantically running from your home to your office.

But these five things breakfast does to your body would most likely encourage you to grab a bite before you start your day.

to have worse cholesterol levels and insulin sensitivity than those who do. This is because eating nutritious foods in the beginning of your day helps you eat smaller meals and avoid fatty food throughout the day.

It keeps you energized

It boosts metabolism and controls weight

Keeping your energy levels high, with the help of eggs, cereal, or fruits, will keep you energized therefore help you accomplish all your responsibilities efficiently.

It improves your memory and concentration

Want to have better coordination and problem-solving skills?

According to research, eating breakfast leads to better cognitive performance. It also restores glucose levels, which is an important carbohydrate that is needed for the brain to function properly.

It helps lower cholesterol levels

Studies show that people who skip breakfast are more likely

A great way to kick start your metabolism, which slows down when you sleep, is by having a healthy breakfast to allow your body to start burning calories as soon as you start your day. In addition to faster metabolism, eating breakfast also helps you control your weight. When you consume high-protein meals during breakfast, you will feel fuller, hence, avoiding overeating later in the day.

It puts you in a positive mood

Sleeping for eight hours or so usually mean that you’re starving when you wake up. Starvation can really put you in a bad mood.

That can be easily dealt with by eating a healthy breakfast.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2017

A WONDERFUL AFFAIR. Heart Evangelista and Alexander Lee treat their fans with behind-thescenes photos from the top-rating romantic series, "My Korean Jagiya"

Heart Evangelista and Alexander Lee steal viewers’ hearts T’S no surprise that Heart Evangelista and Alexander Lee won the hearts of viewers as they consistently bring kilig and positive vibes in the episodes of My Korean Jagiya airing weeknights on GMA Telebabad.

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With its heart-warming and amusing plot, netizens couldn’t help but express how thrilled and excited they were at the love story of Gia (Heart) and Jun Ho (Alexander). They also poured their praises and lauded the show’s other cast members including Janice de Belen as Aida and Ricky Davao as Tita Josie.

Since its pilot airing, My Korean Jagiya has been receiving positive feedback and reviews for its entertaining and relatable storyline which is perfect for the whole family.

My Korean Jagiya airs weeknights right after Alyas Robin Hood on GMA.

Kim Chiu celebrates another milestone in her showbiz career

Chinita princess marks 11th year in showbiz Kapamilya recording artist and actress Kim Chiu celebrates 11 successful years in the industry with the launch of her new album for Star Music, Chinita Princess: Touch of Your Love.

The Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin star has exceeded expectations when she ventured into making her own kind of music, and now, she is ready to prove her distinctive flair once again in her third album produced by Rox Santos.

Kim’s latest offering has five original tracks, with a bonus minus one track (song title). It is fittingly called “Touch of Your Love” as she explained in a recent Magandang Buhay interview. “All my songs here are about different types of love. There’s something on having a crush, on hoping to be adored in return, different touches of love,” she said.

The single “Okay Na Ako,” by Nica del Rosario, has already dominated the top spot in MOR 101.9 charts for several weeks now.

Other tracks in her album are “’Wag Kang Makulit” by Del Rosario and Hazel Faith, “Ipadarama” by Kiko Salazar, “Katok” by Jack Rufo and Yani Rufo, and “Yun Na, You Na” by Jungee Marcelo.

The female singer already has several chart-topping songs in her portfolio -- “Peng Yu,” “Crazy Love,” “Falling For You,” and “Mr. Right.” Gwa Ai Di, her debut album that includes “Crazy Love,” achieved a gold record in 2008, and her hit song “Mr. Right” was cited as the “LSS Song of the Year” in MOR Pinoy Music Award 2016.

The physical album, priced at P199, is available on digital market. The single “Okay Na Ako” is now available in digital stores worldwide.

For more information, visit Starmusic.ph or follow Star Music’s official social media accounts at Facebook.com/starrecordsphil, Twitter.com/starrecordsph and Instagram.com/Starmusicph.

‘Maze Runner: The Death Cure’ in Manila next year IN THE epic finale to the Maze Runner saga, Thomas leads his group of escaped Gladers on their final and most dangerous mission yet. To save their friends, they must break into the legendary Last City, a WCKD-controlled labyrinth that may turn out to be the deadliest maze of all.

Anyone who makes it out alive will get answers to the questions the Gladers have been asking since they first arrived in the maze.

Maze Runner: The Death Cure teaser trailer links: YouTube https://youtu.be/9-yr5LUW--M Facebook https://www.facebook. com/20thcenturyfoxphilippines/videos/10159389282170582/ It’s a heist movie this time,” says director Wes Ball, who has helmed each of the movies in the

trilogy. “It picks up six months after the last movie, where we started in the desert, and then we come into the world of WCKD, which is a city: The Last City.”

The series started in the Glade, a lush open space surrounded on all sides by giant walls, and beyond them the maze that kept them prisoner.

For the group of young people trapped in the Glade, with no memory of who they once were or why they were there, breaking out was their first priority. “But now, they’re breaking into walls, almost an inverse of the maze, and they have to get answers and outmaneuver every obstacle thrown their way,” Ball says, “We get to see the other side of the universe and come full circle.”

And just as The Maze Runner offered lush

greens framed by the decaying concrete walls of the maze, and Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials gave us vast, inhospitable desert ruins, so Maze Runner: The Death Cure is set to its own aesthetic and color palette.

“The first film, with the maze, was all cement and overgrowth,” observes Ball. “The second story was the sand and rust of the Scorch and this film is a world of glass and steel. I’d say it has elements of sci-fi and film noir - I loved the idea that each one of these movies has a distinct look and feel, but that they all fold into this same universe.”

Maze Runner: The Death Cure opens on Jan. 24, 2018 in cinemas from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

John Lloyd’s 14-year secret

IF there is one actor in showbiz today who has truly grown substantially---talent-wise and career-wise, possessing a maturity and depth that’s unique among his peers---it would no doubt be John Lloyd Cruz.

From his major break at age 14 when he became a member of ABS-CBN’s Star Magic, John Lloyd has appeared in a succession of top-rating teleseryes as well as blockbuster movie hits.

In all of these, he has appeared alongside the country’s hottest stars. Recently, he appeared in Finally Found Someone with Sarah Geronimo.

Besides possessing the innate acting talent that has earned him critical acclaim and recognition, as well as the boy-next-door good looks to match, one thing you can’t help but notice about John Lloyd is his totally appealing and heart-melting smile, which has sent his legion of female fans aflutter. And for this, he credits the personal dental care and attention he receives from Dr. Steve Mark Gan and his team of dental professionals at the Advanced Osseointegration Center or GAOC. In fact, John Lloyd has been one of GAOC’s most loyal and trusted clients, their relationship going strong now for 14 years. “I’ve been friends with Dr. Mark since 2003,” he proudly reveals. “I’ve been with him almost since day one!”

It can almost be said, then, that the growth in John Lloyd’s career practically parallels the growth of GAOC. “We complement each other!” he beams.

But what is it exactly about GAOC that they have earned John Lloyd’s full trust when it comes to his dental care needs?

“I’m always very proud to say that I go to the best dental clinic!” John Lloyd exclaims. “GAOC is truly the most sophisticated in the country. The people here work with the highest standards. The doctors can never be more articulate.

And it’s always refreshing after every visit because I don’t just get satisfied with my dental needs but I always learn from the doctors as well.”

Indeed, GAOC has consistently been raising the standards of the dental practice in the Philippines, guided by a culture of excellence where patients are considered valued partners, staffed by a team of caring and professional dental practitioners.

This is complemented by only the most advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities available, housed in sleek, modern, and luxurious clinics. “I call it the ultimate dental pleasure,” he says of his visits to GAOC. “It’s something you can’t experience elsewhere.”

With the countless awards and accolades he has garnered throughout his stellar career, John Lloyd has truly many reasons to smile, and thanks to GAOC, he can actually do so without hesitation.

Actor John Lloyd Cruz is still all smiles amid troubles and controversies

Actors Dylan O'Brien (leftmost) and Thomas Brodie-Sangster (center) play two of the main characters in Wes Ball's "The Maze Runner." (Inset) A scene from the sci-fi film, which is based on a novel of the same name.

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

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SATURDAY,OCTOBER 14, 2017

‘HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY.’ Perspective of a mixed-use hub in the offing.

Urban living in nature at Porac ALI raises ante to P100b to build mixed use estate in Pampanga

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YALA Land (ALI) and Leonio Land Holdings, Inc. (LLHI) recently added in an additional 700 hectares to its planned mixed-use development in Porac, Pampanga, and raised its investment from P90 billion to P100 billion in a bid to position Alviera as the next hub for economic activities in the Central Luzon region, integrating residential, business, tourism, and leisure pursuits.

Ostensibly hoping to replicate its success south of Metro Manila, where it built from scratch burgeoning mixed-use estates such as Alabang and Nuvali, ALI has now expanded Alviera’s sprawl to 1,800 hectares (from the previous 1,100), and now envisions four planned districts, reflecting Alviera’s position of urban living in nature.

From out of nowhere From what is currently a mix of Lahar-

devastated wasteland, and pristine farmlands and forests, Alviera East will feature an industrial and commercial center. Residential communities by Avida and Alveo will soon rise here, cheek by jowl with a university (Holy Angel), an industrial park and the 7-hectares Alviera east commercial center.

“We’ve had a 95% sales take-up of the first phase of the Alviera industrial park with 16 industrial lots,” said John Estacio, general manager of Alviera. “The estate is expected to launch a second phase of the industrial park covering 32 hectares, It has signed locators in food manufacturing, motorcycle assembly, packaging, logistics and warehousing. The nonPEZA industrial park was designed for light to medium, non-polluting industries.”

Alviera east commercial will also play host to 180-hectares of residential communities.

Green corridor The Alviera West will feature greenery, rolling terrain and high elevation that allows a bird’s eye view of the whole estate. “The district

will be more leisure-oriented, with a vista of the outdoors and activities such as hiking and “glamping” (glamorous camping),” revealed Estacio. “Themed hotels, wellness centers and leisure developments from international locators are foreseen for the area.

Running through the estate will be the the Alviera Greenbelt, a 5-km long green corridor that will integrate the communities together. This district will be the home of the Alviera Country Club and the La Salle Botanical Gardens.

Slated to open in the 4th quarter of 2018, the country club will be designed by the architectural firm Leandro V. Locsin Partners.

The La Salle Botanical Gardens, a collaboration between Alviera and Dela Salle Philippines, envisions a collection of at least 25 themed garden patches, as well house a fullscale laboratory, a plant nursery, greenhouses, and libraries.

Minutes away from Subic, Clark “Alviera’s initial residential offering through its two residential brands Alveo Land and Avida

SHAKING UP THE COUNTRY CLUB. Alviera general manager John Estacio explains how the P100 billion Alviera would be positioned to propel economic activities in Central Luzon by integrating residential, business, tourism, and leisure pursuits.

Land has sold 74% of its total phase 1 inventory,” said Jonax Dyning, Alviera’s deputy general manager. “These residential projects have seen values appreciate by 20% in the past two years as the estate continues to rise. “ Dyning added that Ayala Land Premier, the luxury developer, will soon launch a residential subdivision within the estate, which is accessible through the SCTEX highway.

Estacio said the first phase of the estate’s infrastructure will completed by the end of the year.

He added that talks are ongoing for public transportation linkages to the Subic Freeport and Clark International Airport, which are just minutes away from Alviera.

Inspiration for home and design ideas at BGC

Tagaytay pioneer CANYON Woods, one of the pioneers of the ‘residential resort’ concept in the Tagaytay-Taal area recently celebrated its 20th anniversary with the 15th Chairman’s Cup golf tournament.

Established by the Tagaytay Grassland Company, Inc. in 1993, Canyon Woods’ initial stages saw the development of a 35-hectare property. George L. Go, Jr. vice president for sales told the Manila Standard that the resort’s focus now is the completion of its newest hotel complex, Canyon Woods Residences.

“The new hotel is located in the best and

highest location inside Canyon Woods, in the middle The Peak and our main clubhouse; it will give all hotel guests the best view of Taal lake and volcano,” he said.

Canyon Woods is located at Diokno Highway, Bgry. San Gregorio, Laurel, Batangas. At the resort’s anniversary shindig were (from left): Tony Villa-Real, member of the board of directors; Melchor S. Go, president, Canyon Woods Resort Club; singer, songwriter, and actor Boboy Garovillo; and George L. Go, Jr., vice President for sales and marketing.

IF YOU’RE in the mood to renovate, or rearrange your home’s look, drop by ‘Summer Pasana’, the PSID Advanced Class of 2017’s graduation exhibit entitled “GOLD: Glamorous, Opulent, and Luxurious Designs”, at the Uptown Bonifacio Mall in Bonifacio Global City (BGC).

The event kicked off last October 1, and will last till the end of the month, showcasing 24 luxurious and glamorous designs that also celebrate comfort functionality, opulence and cost ef-

ficiency. Shown here is a room that captures the exhibit’s mantra of “express yourself”: there are really no rules to styling, and it all really depends on taste.

Minimalist, classic or

even eclectic, you can always go wild with styling since there are no rules.

(Inset) Jazz up your interiors by adding foliage on a contrasting a plain white wall, for a touch of green.

Cooking like a pro

Enjoying the best of both worlds ANCHOR Land Holdings Inc. (ALHI) recently had a topping off ceremony for the Admiral Hotel, which is known for its historic architectural gravitas and superb view of Manila Bay. The event marked the near completion of the structure, which pays tribute to the neo-classical period while merging it with contemporary concept and conveniences.

The Admiral Hotel was designed by ASYA Design Partners. It is classified as a boutique hotel, but will be to be rated as five-star.

“The Admiral Hotel’s prime location at Roxas Boulevard in the historic city of Manila affords guests to both take in cultural sights and enjoy the modern offerings of the nearby Entertainment City

as they traverse the scenic stretch of the boulevard,” said Anchor Land Holdings Inc. president Elizabeth Ventura.

At the ceremony were (from left) Jose Aliling of Const. Mgmt. Inc. (JACMI); area managers Engr. Romy Dela Torre and Engr. Iandale Valdez; Arch. Paolo Suarez, EMESAE president; Adam Laker, area general manager-PH, ACCOR Hotels Group; Arch. Albert Yu, ASYA principal/ chairman; Anchor Land Holdings Inc. (ALHI)’s CEO Steve Li, Jason Li ,and president Elizabeth Ventura; Engr. Freddy Rodriguez, Meinhardt Phil. Inc. (MPI) director; Manny Sy, New Golden City Builders (NGCB) president; ALHI’s AVP Engr. Honorio Alvarez and senior project manager JP Carrillo.

BEKO, one of the largest home appliance brands in Europe, recently launched a line-up of cookers that enables homemakers to cook multiple dishes easily, and with aplomb. Dyeun Zapanta, sales and marketing head of Beko Philippines, said this type of cooker is the best choice for cooking enthusiasts since it is quicker and cheaper to use. “One key factor that makes induction hobs different is the use of copper coil magnets,” she explained. “Electricity passes through these coils to create electromagnetic energy to generate heat. With this technology, the induction hob is capable of heating only the contents of your pan instead of warming the entire cooking surface.” With its latest IndyFlex+™ technology, Beko Induction Hobs also features an expanded cooking surface that allows users to cook with any size and number of pans they like. With this breakthrough technology, Zapanta said one can now cook up to three times more dishes all at the same time, as compared to regular hobs and gas cookers.

Living it up at Botanika

DEVELOPER Filinvest Corp. recently announced that Botanika Nature Residences, its first luxury condominium project in Filinvest Cty, Alabang, is still on its pre-selling period with turnover units set in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Located at the most exclusive and quiet area of Filinvest City, Botanika combines convenient condominium living with a relaxed suburban lifestyle.“Botanika is a condo complex that is laid out in a big garden, where greens are integrated in the whole development,” said Catherine Ilagan, Filinvest executive vice president.

“But more than the literal greeneries, its core design is what really makes it an authentic green building. This ensures the high quality of life for its residents, which is a luxury nowadays.” Botanika is aiming for a BERDE certification.