Manila Standard - 2017 October 18 - Wednesday

VOL. XXXI • NO. 246 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017 • www.manilastandard.net • editorial@manilastandard.net

MARAWI NOW FREE. President Rodrigo Duterte (inset right) has declared the capital city of Lanao del Sur free from Islamic State-inspired terrorists after more than 148 days of fighting, even as the military said some 20 to 30 militant fighters remained—ushering in rehabilitation efforts in that southern lakeshore city, following the killing by the military of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, regarded as the ‘emir’ of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia, and Omarkhayam Maute, one of two brothers who led the terrorists that overran the city. AFP

Marawi liberated—Du30

Troops go after holdouts, sporadic fighting persists

Beware of reprisal attacks, says analyst

By Macon RamosAraneta THE government should be on the alert for “spectacular terrorist attacks” in the wake of Monday’s killing of two terrorist leaders in Marawi City, an analyst said Tuesday.

In an interview with ABS-CBN, Richard Heydarian, an assistant professor in international affairs and political science at De La Salle University, said local terrorists may carry out these attacks to make

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte declared Marawi City free from Islamic State-inspired terrorists Tuesday after more than 148 days of fighting, even as the military said some 20 to 30 militant fighters remained.

the presence of Islamic State sympathizers felt.

Heydarian said IS may also order Marawi-style attacks in other Southeast Asian nations, including Indonesia and Malaysia.

He also said the military could use martial law to their advantage against the remaining terrorists.

In a press statement, Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero ordered units under him to raise their alert level after the

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“Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby declare Marawi City liberated from the terrorist influence,” Duterte said in a rain-soaked speech to troops, ending one of the country’s biggest internal security crises in years. Now, he added, the rehabilitation of Marawi could begin.

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‘Keep martial law till terror threat subsides’ THREE senators spoke out in favor of maintaining martial law, even though the top terrorist leaders in the Marawi siege have been killed.

In separate statements, Senators Panfilo Lacson and Juan Edgardo Angara said only the Defense Department and the Armed Forces of the Philippines could rec-

By John Paolo Bencito and AFP

ommend the lifting of martial law because they have access to intelligence information.

“They’re the ones on the ground. It’s not for me or for you, or anybody for that matter who is not in Marawi City to judge if we should lift martial law,” Lacson said in Filipino in an interview with GMA News. Next page

ALTERNATIVE RIDE. Commuters, raising the Filipino ingenuity on the road, take a tricycle

ride as alternative on the second day Tuesday of the jeepney strike at a main street in Manila.

Norman Cruz

Drivers told to comply with modern plan

By John Paolo Bencito and Rio N. Araja PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday accused jeepney operators and drivers who staged a two-day transport strike of conniving with the communists to

overthrow him and said if they did not comply with the government’s modernization program by the end of the year, they would be arrested and their units impounded.

“You better comply because by Jan. 1, if I see your

By Francisco Tuyay

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PROPER HANDWASHING. Students from Pinyahan Elementary School in Quezon City join local government officials as well as senior officials from the Manila Water in creating Tuesday—the 2017 Global Handwashing Day—in demonstrating the proper way of handwashing to prevent diseases. Manny Palmero twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

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WA S H I N G T O N ― U S President Donald Trump will meet several key Asian leaders next month, including controversial Philippine strongman Rodrigo Duterte, on a tour otherwise dominated by efforts to isolate North Korea.

Trump’s first Asian tour as president will take him to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines, where he will attend the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The United States has important trade ties in the region, but Trump’s economic

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I won’t prolong hold on power, Rody vows DESPITE threats to establish a revolutionary government to deal with those who aim to remove him from power, President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday insisted he did not want to prolong himself in the presidency.

“Nobody is interested here in this government, me especially, to go beyond my term, I don’t intend to perpetuate

Trump-Duterte meeting slated for Asean summit

3 in casino abductions rescued THREE foreign nationals kidnapped on three separate occasions at a casino hotel in Manila were rescued by authorities at a daring raid at the suspects’ safe house in a subdivision in Bulacan Monday afternoon, police said.

Supt. Glenn Dumlao, acting director of the PNPAnti-Kidnapping Group, identified the rescued foreigners were Liu Xia, a Chinese; Park Panho and

old, unregistered jeepneys, I will have them towed right in front of you,” Duterte said in Filipino, in a speech before the PDP-Laban in Pili, Camarines Sur. Duterte did not mince his words even against small

State forces have been battling the Maute group terrorists and Abu Sayyaf bandits since they overran the city in May. More than 1,000 combatants and civilians have died, and more than 400,000 residents fled their homes as fighting in the

agenda will be overshadowed by the major foreign policy crisis of his presidency so far: the North Korean stand-off.

“The president’s travel will underscore his commitment to longstanding United States alliances and partnerships, and reaffirm United States leadership in promoting a free and open IndoPacific region,” the White House said.

Last month, Trump warned at the United Nations that he was prepared to “totally destroy” the Pyongyang Next page

myself (in power). I will not shame my family for any ambition in this world,” the President said in a speech before PDP-Laban turncoats in Pili, Camarines Sur. If he had a choice, the President reiterated he would be leaving office ahead of the expiration of his six-year term in 2022.

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Cabinet men rate ‘good’, says SWS

By John Paolo Bencito, Macon Ramos-Araneta, and Maricel V. Cruz PUBLIC satisfaction with top government institutions remained “good” despite single-digit drops in their net satisfaction scores, the latest Social Weather Stations survey revealed Tuesday.

In the latest Third Quarter 2017 Social Weather survey fielded among 1,500 adults, nearly half or 49 percent of Filipinos said Next page

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Marawi rehab gets China boost

By Vito Barcelo, John Paolo Bencito and Maricel V. Cruz

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T LEAST 47 sets of heavy equipment donated by China will be sent to Marawi to rehabilitate the city ravaged by the rebellion launched by terrorists affiliated with the Islamic State, an official said Tuesday.

The Marawi siege is expected to end soon as two of its leaders― Abu Sayyaf head Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute of the Maute group―were killed in a clash with government troops on Monday.

“Through China’s Emergency Humanitarian Assistance Program, we expect seven more

equipment to arrive,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.

In other developments: • Malacañang said Tuesday the liberation of Marawi from terrorists marked the start of rehabilitation efforts following the nearly five-month siege.

“The declaration of President

[Rodrigo] Duterte marks the beginning of the recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation of Marawi,” Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

He called on the public to support Marawi’s rehabilitation.

Officials on Tuesday expressed hope that the Duterte administration will be able to speed up Marawi’s rehabilitation.

They included Reps. Karlo Nograles, Rodolfo Albano III, Ranco Abu and LRay Villafuerte.

“The neutralization of Hapilon and Maute will give government troops the final boost needed to

flush out the remaining terrorists in Marawi City. The end of the conflict is near,” said Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, chairman of the House committee on appropriations.

Villar said the equipment from China included eight sets of soil excavators and wheel loaders, five sets of compactors, five sets of track type tractors, bulldozers, dump trucks, cement mixers and a container van.

Public Works has also accomplished site development works for six areas of transitory houses for the Marawi evacuees.

“The area, which has been developed by DPWH in Barangay

Sagongsongan, Marawi City, can accommodate 1,100 families,” Villar said.

“Road concreting will be completed by November this year.”

Public Works is the lead agency for the Reconstruction Committee of the Task Force Bangon Marawi.

“We have ordered all engineers to prioritize the assessment of the area and make sure that all procedures are taken care of even before the on-ground rehabilitation starts,” Villar said.

“Our priority is to make sure that roads and bridges are in place such that there is smooth access to Marawi and its nearby towns.”

2,287 delegates elected to join world’s largest party

By Rey E. Requejo BEIJING―The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will be convened here on Wednesday, when President Xi Jinping is expected to get a fresh mandate as the party’s general secretary and China’s president for another five years.

It is also likely he will be endorsed as China’s third paramount leader after the late Chairman Mao Zedong, who founded the People’s Republic of China, and Deng Xiaoping who transformed China’s economy by opening up to the world.

A total of 2,287 delegates have been elected to attend the congress―the largest political party in the world with more than 89 million members―to pave the way for the further development of China, the secondlargest economy in the world after the United States and which has been contributing more than 30 percent to global growth since 2008.

Those attending the con-

Beware...

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killing of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon and Maute group chief Omar Maute.

Guerrero said units should be ready to prevent reprisal attacks from groups sympathetic to IS and the Maute group.

He also ordered his troops to intensify security operations.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said attempts to retaliate were likely, but added that the Armed Forces was

‘Keep...

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Angara said lawmakers were not privy to the intelligence information that the AFP and the Defense Department have. “[Hapilon and Maute’s deaths] will be a factor in the recommendation to lift martial law in the future but we do not want to preempt any decision by the AFP, DND or executive to recommend lifting. They are also privy to information and intelligence not commonly available,” he said.

Senator JV Ejercito said it was “advisable” that martial law continue until it expires on Dec. 31.

“Martial law shouldn’t be lifted yet in Mindanao. Government troops have to continue clearing operations and make sure all the terrorists are arrested or neutralized,” Ejercito said.

Opposition Senators Francis Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros, on the other hand, said it would be better to bring back normalcy to Marawi and the rest

Trump-Duterte...

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regime if it did not give up its quest for a nuclear-armed intercontinental missile.

But his military threats are backed by a dense diplomatic agenda. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in China last month, and Trump’s tour will take in key front-line treaty allies.

gress, which is convened every five years, will include highranking government officials, party leaders and military officers as well as CPC members from “front-line production and manufacturing.”

According to the statement issued by the CPC Central Committee’s organizational department, more CPC members from front-line production and women have been elected as delegates to this year’s congress compared with the 18th party congress.

Of the 771 “front-line production and manufacturing” delegates, 198 are workers, 86 are farmers and 283 are professional technical personnel. The representation of female CPC members and members from ethnic minority groups has also increased.

“This is a historic event since we are at the decisive stage of completing the building of a modern prosperous society,” said Yao Wen, deputy director general and counselor for Policy Planning in the Asian Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. capable of averting such attacks.

“I believe our AFP is capable enough as they are handling the situation very well,” said Lacson.

Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, a member of the special committee on Marawi City rehabilitation, commended the military for bringing the terrorist threat to an end.

“With this victory, we hope that the fighting will soon end so the government can immediately lift martial law and finally focus on rebuilding and developing Marawi City,” said Aquino. of Mindanao soon.

Hontiveros said the deaths of Hapilon and Maute should convince the government to lift martial law.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier said that they need to assess the situation in Mindanao first before recommending to the President the lifting of martial law.

“We may be announcing the cessation of hostilities within this week and then after that we will find out, we will assess what the entire Mindanao if there is a need to recommend to the President the lifting of martial law,” he said.

Military spokesman Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla, in a Palace briefing, said martial law would still be needed as state troopers battled the remaining 20 to 30 terrorists in Marawi City.

Padilla added that state forces are monitoring possible threats involving other parts of Mindanao, including retaliatory threats posed by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which operates in Maguindanao and Cotabato.

John Paolo Bencito

In Japan, the first leg of his trip, Trump will meet the families of Japanese hostages kidnapped by North Korean agents, lending support to Tokyo’s demand that they be released.

In Seoul from Nov. 7, Trump will meet US troops and President Moon Jae-In before addressing the South Korean parliament to urge “the international community to join together in maximizing pressure on North Korea.”

CHINESE DONATION. Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar says the 47 sets of heavy equipment from the People’s Republic of China to aid the quick recovery of Marawi City have arrived at the Port of Iligan City this week.

in Marawi, terrorists no longer have the power to further launch attacks against state forces.

“As we speak, our troops have remained in the battle area continuing to pursue the armed elements and seeking to rescue the remaining hostages in about two hectares of space that remains to be the battle area,” Padilla said in a Palace news briefing.

He said there were still 20 to 30 militants left in Marawi, including six to eight foreign fighters.

Among them were Mahmud Ahmad, the suspected Malaysian financier of the Marawi siege.

There were also about 20 hostages left, including women and children, he said.

Residents could not yet return to their homes because of the dangers that remain.

“There is a need to clear all these buildings of all unexploded ordnance as well as IEDs that may have been left by these retreating terrorists,” Padilla said.

He added that there were still about 60 to 80 buildings that needed to be cleared.

Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella urged the remaining terrorists holed up in Marawi City

to lay down their arms to “restore peace and rebuild our land.”

“With terrorist leaders gone, we call on all fighters to cease further resistance and violence and return to the road of peace,” Abella said.

“This is also the call of our Muslim leaders, our imams, ARMM, MNLF, MILF chiefs, and the leaders of Muslim nations and this is the plea of your families, friends, and communities,” he added.

Armed men took over vital installations in Marawi City, including schools, hospitals, mosques and commercial establishments on May 23, replacing the Philippine flag with a black flag of the Islamic State, in a bid to declare a caliphate in Southeast Asia, amid battleground losses in Syria and Iraq.

Duterte, who was in Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at the time, declared martial law in Mindanao the same day.

Martial law in Mindanao was supposed to lapse on July 22 in line with the 60-day limit under the Constitution, but Congress granted Duterte’s request for an extension until the end of this year to quell the rebellion. With Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

the transport group Pinagkaisang Samahan ng Tsuper and Opereytor Nationwide or Piston, which led the two-day jeepney strike, of conspiring with the legal fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines to have him thrown out of office.

“Karapatan, KMU and Piston, they are just the legal fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines. Kaya nga CPP, NDF, and the New People’s Army. It’s a one big conspiracy

but they are at the same time, all of them, committing… rebellion,” he said.

In previous speeches, Duterte linked the communists to attempts to destabilize his government.

Officials of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said they received reports that the two-day transport strike was aimed at destabilizing the administration. With Bill Casas

eral Party senators said instead of floating the possibility of declarFrom A1 ing a revolutionary government, the administration should focus on “If you ask me if I’m happy, rehabilitating Marawi City as soon I’m not, because of the sheer vol- as the fighting stopped to bring norume of work,” he added. malcy back to the city devastated by In the Senate, opposition Lib- the invasion of Maute fighters.

Senator Francis Pangilinan, LP president, said the government should make rehabilitation of Marawi City a top priority when the fighting stopped instead of dwelling on baseless destabilization reports. John Paolo Bencito and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Marawi...

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provincial capital of Lanao del Sur left what was once regarded as a center of finance and education in ruins.

Duterte announced an end to the hostilities after the military killed Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, regarded as the “emir” of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia, and Omarkhayam Maute, one of two brothers who led the terrorists that overran the city.

While hostilities in other parts of Mindanao continue, the threat of IS militants in the Philippines is already over, a senior military official said Tuesday. “[The] declaration of the liberation of Marawi is a strategic statement, meaning it’s a message that we want to tell the world, that the Maute-ISIS problem is over,” said Col. Romeo Brawner, deputy commander of the Joint Task Group Ranao in a TV interview.

“They cannot be victorious anymore. It’s about to be over.”

Military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla said that while sporadic fighting continued

Drivers...

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jeepney operators who opposed the government’s modernization program—saying he’s didn’t care if their families would go hungry.

“Mahirap kayo? P***** i** magtiis kayo sa hirap at gutom.

Wala akong pakialam,” he said, addressing the jeepney operators.

The President also accused

I won’t...

In Beijing, Trump will renew his relationship with China’s President Xi Jinping. Xi has spoken publicly of his warm friendship with his US counterpart, but China’s support will be vital in any effort to put the squeeze on Pyongyang.

From there Trump will travel to Vietnam, one of the countries disappointed by his decision to pull out of the TPP trans-Pacific trade deal, then on to the Asean summit in Manila.

There he will meet perhaps his most controversial partner in the region, Duterte, the outspoken Philippine leader who has launched a bloody crackdown on alleged drug gang members.

Early in his tenure, Trump courted controversy by praising Duterte for doing an “unbelievable job on the drug problem”― despite warnings from rights groups of death squad-style killings. AFP

3 in casino...

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Yeum Sunki, both Korean nationals.

The rescue of the three kidnap foreigners also resulted in the arrest of six suspected kidnappers.

Dumlao said the kidnap victims were snatched by the suspects at the Pan-Pacific Hotel and Casino and were brought to

How much Faeldon got: P100m or P107m?

SENATOR Panfilo Lacson, in a television interview Tuesday, claimed Customs chief Isidro Lapeña told him his predecessor, Nicanor Faeldon, got P107 million in “pasalubong.”

“No less than Commissioner Lapeña testified—he confirmed that there’s indeed pasalubong money,” Lacson said in an interview on ANC television.

“And he confided to me that, ‘Sir, hindi P100 million ang kay Faeldon,’ sabi niya P107 [million] ang inabot. Before the hearing, he came up to my office and informed me, ‘Sir, na-discover ko pasalubong. Totoo yan.

I myself’—(he, Lapeña) experienced it,” Lacson said.

Lapeña, still out of the country, declined to comment on the matter pending what he called a review of Lacson’s statement.

On the other hand, Faeldon’s lawyer, Jose Diño, said: “There he [Lacson] goes again, nang la-Lacson na naman ng isipan ng mga mamamayan.”

“Can Sen. Lacson answer the most basic question of all, may ebidensya, sir? After 11 fruitless SBRC (Senate blue ribbon committee) hearings, has anyone come out with a categorical declaration that he paid tara or pasalubong to Capt. Faeldon, or that he texted, called or met with Capt. Faeldon?” Diño said.

“To quote PRRD [President Rodrigo Duterte], Senator Lacson, go fly a kite,” the lawyer added, referring to Duterte’s Sept. 13 statement to Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on the latter’s allegations on hidden wealth.

Lapeña was appointed by Duterte to replace Faeldon last August.

Faeldon resigned at the height of the controversial shabu shipment that slipped past the Customs bureau last May. In a privilege speech in August, Lacson accused Faeldon of “promoting” corrupt practices at the Bureau of Customs.

The senator said then that Faeldon received a P100-million payoff as a welcome gift when he assumed his post in 2016.

Faeldon has since denied such allegation.

The former Marine captain has filed an ethics complaint against Lacson and even wants the Senate Committee of the Whole to handle the matter.

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they were satisfied with the performance of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet, while 17 percent expressed dissatisfaction.

Net satisfaction with the Cabinet also stayed “good” at +32 in September 2017, but two points below the +34 in June 2017.

In related developments: • As 88 percent of Filipinos continue to support the Duterte administration’s campaign against the drugs based on the latest Pulse Asia survey, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday conceded the challenge now being faced by the government was to avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

The findings of its September 2017 Nationwide Survey on the Campaign Against Illegal Drugs, Gatchalian said, was an indication of the public’s overwhelming public support for the drug war. the suspects’ hideout at No. 45 A. Tomas Avenue, Felville Subdivision, Sta Cruz, Guiguinto, Bulacan.

First to be taken by the suspects, according to Dumlao, was Park Panho who disappeared at the Casino, followed

by Liu Xia and Yeum Sunki.

The rescue operations surfaced after the Korean Embassy in Manila reported the kidnapping of Sunki to the PNP-ACG.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Napocor workers’ MR denied

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

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HE Supreme Court has unanimously denied with finality the motion for reconsideration of 16,500 National Power Corp. employees of their P8.5-billion back payment, additional Cost of Living Allowance and Amelioration Allowance for the period of July 1, 1989 to March 16, 1999.

In a 13-page resolution penned by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, the SC en banc denied the motion for reconsideration filed

by National Power Corp.

Employees Consolidated

Union (NECU) and the president of the National Power Corp. Employees and Workers Union (NEWU) seeking the reversal of the Court’s February 7, 2017 decision.

“Wherefore, the 16,500 Workers’ Solicitous Motion for Reconsideration is DENIED with FINALITY as the basic issues have already been passed upon in this Court’s February 7, 2017 Decision. No further pleadings or motions shall be entertained in this case.

Let entry of final judgment be issued immediately,” the SC declared.

The SC set aside the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City’s decision which granted the petition for mandamus filed by NECU and NEWU seeking to direct the Napocor, its president and its board of directors to release and pay the employees their COLA and AA. But the magistrates said the employees failed to raise

new issues that would sway the Court into abandoning its February 7 ruling.

Based on their MR, Napocor employees insisted that law, jurisprudence, and evidence support their contention that their COLA and AA were deducted from their salaries from July 1, 1989 to March 19, 1999.

In particular, the NECU and NEWU distinguished Napocor workers into three categories.

The first category includes workers already employed when Republic Act No. 6758 or the Compensation and Position Classification Act of 1989 took effect and whose COLA and AA were integrated into their basic salaries only up to 1993.

The second category covers those hired after Republic Act No. 6758 took effect and whose COLA and AA were allegedly deducted from 1989 to 1999.

The third category consists of employees hired after the effectivity of Republic Act No. 6758 and whose COLA and AA were allegedly deducted from 1994 to 1999.

The employees noted that this only shows that their basic pay for the disputed period did not include salaries from July 1, 1989 to March 19, 1999.

The Court noted that NECU and NEWU were in a position to submit to this Court any pay slip or Notice of Position Allocation and

Salary Adjustment showing an actual deduction of the COLA and AA from July 1, 1989 to March 19, 1999 but they failed to do so.

“As it stands, respondents NECU and NEWU have failed to prove that their COLA and AA were factually deducted from their basic pay,” the SC said.

“Respondents NECU and NEWU attempt to sway this Court by insisting that those hired after Republic Act No. 6758 took effect have never received their COLA and AA and that these allowances were deducted from their basic pay. This issue, however, has already been discussed and passed upon in this Court’s February 7, 2017 Decision,” it added.

Sereno spokesman blasts Gadon THE camp of Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno slammed lawyer Lorenzo Gadon for blaming her for the alleged delay in the release of survivorship benefits due to the wife of a retired Court of Appeals justice, calling the allegation baseless and unfounded.

Sereno’s spokesman lawyer Jojo Lacanilao said that while they sympathize with the family of 94-year-old Dolores Colayco, who died on Oct. 3 without receiving the benefits, it was unfair to accuse the Chief Justice of delaying action on the case.

“The Chief Justice did not delay action on the resolution of survivorship petitions filed by Mrs. Colayco and all other surviving spouses of deceased justices and judges,” Lacanilao said.

Lacanilao said that Sereno herself has “no power to act unilaterally” on those petitions, as well as the applications for retirement benefits of justices and judges.

He explained that as part of administrative reforms of the court, applications for retirement benefits are now referred to the Special Committee on Retirement and Civil Service Benefits to help ensure judiciarywide consistency of rules and grants.

“Where necessary, as when applications have issues, further study is undertaken by the Committee or its Technical Working Groups,” Lacanilao added.

“Upon endorsement of the Committee, the applications are submitted to the Supreme Court En Banc for approval.” Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

TROPICAL cyclone “Paolo” intensified and developed into a severe tropical storm Tuesday at 3 p.m., according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

Robb Gile, weather forecaster, said the location of “Paolo” was estimated at 655 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar packing maximum sustained winds of up to 90 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph.

It was forecast to move west northwest at 10 kph.

“The track of ‘Paolo’ is consistent based on our models. It is heading toward the Philippine Sea,” Gile told the Manila Standard.

Rio N. Araja

Pinoy dies in California wildfire—DFA

POOR PINOYS. A woman and her child offer flowers to a marker to commemorate the National Week For Overcoming Extreme Poverty at the Luneta Park on Tuesday. Some 10.1 million Filipino families consider themselves poor during the second quarter of 2017, a 1.4 million decrease from the self-rated poverty figure in the previous quarter, according to the latest SWS survey. Norman Cruz

Army commander Bautista gets 3-star rank

By John Paolo Bencito PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday announced the promotion of Major General Rolando Joselito Bautista, the commanding general of the Philippine Army to a three-star rank Tuesday, as the race to be next military chief-of-staff tightens with the looming retirement of Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año.

Introducing officials who were with him as he declared the liberation of Marawi, Duterte, at that

moment, announced that his former Presidential Security Group chief had been raised to a three-star rank or Lieutenant General—barely a week after naming him as Philippine Army chief.

Bautista, a former commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Marawi replaced Lieutenant General Glorioso Miranda who will end his military career on Oct. 8, after 38 years in service.

Bautista, the 59th Army chief, is

a member of the Philippine Military Academy Sandiwa Class of 1985.

Bautista’s promotion places him as one of the possible contenders to the much-coveted chief-of-staff post, expected to be vacated by Año once he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56 on Oct. 26.

Earlier, Duterte said that he will allow the Board of Generals to decide on their recommendations on who would be the next AFP chief.

“Well, lahat naman ‘yan sila

qualified eh. They have reached the stage of… general talaga sila. Si… papalit kay Año,” Duterte said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that there were “three or four names” whom he might recommend to Duterte, but these depends on the Board of Generals.

Before his appointment as the commander of the 1st Infantry Division, Bautista was the commander of Joint Task Force Gensan in 2013 and 104th Brigade, 1ID in 2014.

Hearing on Bautista’s impeachment case reset

By Maricel V. Cruz THE House of Representatives’ committee on justice will deliberate on the Articles of Impeachment against resigned Commission on Elections chairman Andres Bautista as soon as it is able to finalize the draft for submission to the Senate, a House official said on Tuesday.

Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, the panel chairperson, said that the committee canceled its scheduled hearing today Wednesday as its legal team has yet to finish the Articles of Impeachment.

“My legal team is working on the articles of impeachment as we speak,” Umali said on

Wednesday.

The House justice committee earlier set for today the deliberations on Articles of Impeachment after the House reversed the committee decision to dismiss the Bautista impeachment complaint by 137- 75.

Umali said the absence of a quorum for the 55-man justice

panel prompted him to reschedule the hearing.

“We are resetting the hearing because no members confirmed their presence,” said Umali. “We will try next week [to hold a hearing].”

Congress went on a month long Halloween break which started last Oct. 13. It will resume session on Nov. 13.

Umali earlier said the committee will conduct a case build-up to ensure a solid impeachment case against Bautista.

He 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 the alleged ill-gotten wealth.

DoJ okays release of Solano’s testimony JUSTICE Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Tuesday welcomed the decision of the Senate to release the testimony of Aegis Juris fratman John Paul Solano over the death of hazing victim Horacio Tomas “Atio” Castillo III. In a text message, Aguirre said that Solano’s testimony will be used as part of the evidence in the Department of Justice ongoing preliminary investigation.

“It is good so it will be considered as part of the evidence in the case,” said Aguirre in a text message.

The DOJ is currently conducting a preliminary

Cyclone ‘Paolo’ now a severe tropical storm

investigation on the criminal complaints filed

by Atio’s parents and the Manila Police District against those involved in the death of the University of Santo Tomas law student.

Solano has been named as a respondent in the complaints.

Senator Panfilo Lacson made an assurance that the the Senate will release today [October 18] the transcript of Solano’s testimony that he made in a closed-door Senate executive session last Sept. 25.

The Senate had already issued a resolution to release Solano’s testimony

after the fratman failed to deliver his promise to issue a sworn affidavit detailing what happened and who were present during the Aegis Juris initiation rites that Castillo had undergone.

Solano was given until Oct. 16 by the Senate to submit his sworn affidavit which he failed to do.

“Solano, during the executive session and in the presence of counsel, divulged vital information that will help the authorities solve the case, prosecute the culprits, and give justice to the death of Atio Castillo,” the resolution read.

Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

SOLID WASTER. Various environmentalist groups called a press conference in Quezon City to strongly urge the Committee on Ecology not to endorse or countersign an existing bill that is already on its 2nd deliberation but rather uphold the full implementation of Republic Act 9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. The group also condemned the ban on waste incinerators. Manny Palmero

A FILIPINO national died in the wildfire that engulfed North California’s wine country, the Department of Foreign Affairs reported on Tuesday.

The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco said that the Filipino’s remains, which have yet to be positively identified, were recovered last Saturday, Oct. 14 in Napa Country.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano in his statement expressed his condolences to the family of the Filipino national.

“We offer our sincere sympathies and prayers to the family of our kababayan who perished in this horrific fire,” Cayetano said.

The Consulate in San Francisco assured that it will offer all possible assistance to the family and to continue to closely monitoring the welfare of other Filipinos in the affected areas. Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

‘No budget for breast cancer meds’ WHILE the Philippines ranked the highest in a list of 197 countries with the most number of cases of breast cancer, Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday expressed alarm that there is no budget for the procurement of breast cancer medicines allocated in the 2018 budget of the national government.

“This is unacceptable.”

Hontiveros said. “We cannot afford to pass a national budget that has no allocation to procure medicines for cancer, particularly breast cancer.”

She said the government’s commitment to fight this disease must be reflected in a real and substantial fiscal allocation.

“The government must put its money where its mouth is,” the opposition senator said.

The senator, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women and vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, said that she has already raised this concern to the DOH. Macon Ramos-Araneta

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Get on or get out of the way

T

HE two-day transport strike by a group of jeepney drivers and operators is emblematic of how some sectors of society insist on living in the past, stubbornly taking approaches that no longer work.

After the first day Monday, the Metro Manila Development Authority observed that the strike had a minimal effect on commuters, even though the organizers, Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (Piston) claimed to have paralyzed 90 percent of Metro Manila. Given that both sides stand to gain from some hyperbole, the truth most likely lay somewhere in between.

Still, given that traffic was still heavy on most Metro Manila streets—despite the

cancellation of work in government offices and schools at all levels—Piston’s claim seemed incredible, to say the least.

Piston and other groups belonging to the No to Jeepney Phaseout Coalition demand that the government junk its phaseout program so as to save the livelihood of more than 600,000 jeepney drivers and operators. The new models that they are supposed to purchase under the program are unaffordable, even with financing, the strike leaders say.

Under the modernization program, the government will impose a 15-year age limit on public utility jeepneys (PUJs) as it aims to modernize the fleet through lowcarbon and low-emission vehicle. Technology standards on carbon emission and fleet management and maintenance would also be imposed to ensure passenger safety, and improve ambient air quality.

But Piston shows by its actions that it is

mired in the old ways that no longer work.

To the extent that they inconvenienced thousands of commuters on some routes, they failed once again to bring this message to the real target of their action, the government. Instead, they angered their own customers.

In the face of the real problems that their antiquated jeepneys bring, the drivers and operators offer no practical solutions. And at the onset, we need to set the record straight: a government dole is not a solution. We, the taxpayers, cannot afford to give away PUJs to drivers and operators who stand in the way of progress.

The administration is correct in pushing through with the modernization program because it is long overdue.

Several attempts in the past to modernize the public transport system have been thwarted due to similar transport strikes,

and the result is the mess we have today.

Besides, the PUJ modernization program has already won the support of other transport groups, indicating that the terms and conditions may not be as onerous as Piston would have us believe.

These groups include the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Fejodap), the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (Acto), Pangkalahatang Sanggunian Manila and Suburb Drivers Association Nationwide Inc., (Pasang Masda), Land Transportation Organization of the Philippines (LTOP), Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines (Altodap), Stop and Go Coalition, and most of the provincial transport cooperatives all over the country.

It is time Piston got on the program—or got out of the way. We have places to go.

TO THE POINT EMIL P. JURADO

Will he or won’t he?

RIGHT from the start of his presidency, Rodrigo Roa Duterte every now and then has talked about the imposition of a Revolutionary Government—a one-man rule beyond the Constitution, to solve the country’s problems.

With threats of destabilization by his political enemies and critics, especially from the Left, President Duterte talks of a revolutionary government more often than before.

Santa Banana, the question that comes to mind, since he does not seem to be joking as he often does, is this—will he or won’t he?

The President must realize this is a tiger that can devour him.

Celebrating life LOWDOWN

JOJO A. ROBLES BEGGING the pardon of one Catholic priest widely quoted in the press, the rejoicing is not really over the death of terrorists. It’s over what they represent, which is terrorism—and every victory over terrorism should be celebrated.

But first, I must state that I, too, have a problem with the publication of gory photographs of Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute in death, in all sorts of media. The photos, to me, had the unmistakable quality of encouraging gratuitous voyeurism, or at least clickbait.

But that doesn’t mean that I did not rejoice upon learning of the death of the terrorist leaders, or with the subsequent pronounce-

ment by President Rodrigo Duterte that Marawi City had been liberated from the clutches of the Islamic State-inspired group that they led. If the stock market can soar to record highs upon the announcement of the city’s liberation, why can’t the spirits of a citizenry beset with fear and worry in the past four months of the siege not do the same?

I rejoice because the most brazen terrorist attack in contemporary times in this country has been defeated.

I rejoice because the terrorists who showed no respect of the law, the lives of their fellowmen and civilized behavior have gotten their comeuppance.

I am happy that the attempt to establish an ISstyle caliphate in Marawi with Hapilon as its emir— the first in Southeast Asia

—has been smashed. I am glad that the violence never spread outside of Marawi, because of the determined campaign by the military to prevent its spread.

This is what I celebrate: That our government and armed forces did not back down in the face of terrorism.

The celebration, as the priest should know, is not about death, any more than Catholicism teaches us that the high point of Christ’s victory is his dying on the cross. It is over the people’s

victory over the terrorists and the anticipation of Marawi’s rising from the ashes of war—or the city’s resurrection, if you will.

Finally, I celebrate the men and women of the armed forces who took back Marawi from the terrorists. I rejoice that their heroism in Marawi, at the cost of the lives of hundreds of our men in uniform, resulted in the defeat of Hapilon, Maute and their small but well-armed and well-entrenched foes.

This is what I celebrate: That our government and armed forces did not back down in the face of terrorism.

I am aware that in some circles, it is not “cool” to celebrate any achievement of this government. And I do not ask that they join the rest of us, because their toxic politics prevents them

from joining in the celebration, for fear that it may somehow lead to putting in a good word for Duterte’s administration.

But the silence of partisans is one thing. Accusing a relieved and thankful citizenry of celebrating death (when it is actually celebrating a new lease on life) is quite another. *** Yes, Marawi City has been liberated. Now comes the hard part of rebuilding the warn-torn city.

Some estimates have placed the cost of bringing Marawi back on its feet at a staggering $8 billion, a figure close to half a trillion pesos. A government like the present one, which is already scrounging for funds to bankroll the many infrastructure projects it has in the proverbial pipeline, will be hard put to

find that kind of money for just one locality.

At best, the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte can only start the process. Succeeding governments will have to continue the rebuilding that will take many years to complete.

But it’s not as if Duterte has a choice as far as the reconstruction of Marawi is concerned. If the city is not brought back to life, the danger of its residents becoming victims of terrorism will continue.

The current government must not allow a repeat of the siege of Zamboanga City in 2013, which resulted in the destruction of a large part of that once-bustling regional capital that was sadly not rehabilitated quickly enough by the government of Noynoy Turn to A5

President Duterte must realize that while the majority of Filipinos prefer a strong leader, if he declares a revolutionary government, he would be riding a tiger he can never dismount, because it will devour him if he does.

I believe we do need a strong leader, somebody like Lee Kwan Yew, who transformed Singapore from a weak city-state to a first-class nation. Lee had his critics, of course, from inside and outside Singapore, but he succeeded just the same.

President Duterte is a lawyer and former mayor.

He is not so stupid as to not realize the consequences of his actions.

I do not doubt that he faces more challenges than the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos did.

During that time, he did not have the ISIS to contend with. *** Another question is what would happen now that the leaders of the Marawi siege are dead.

Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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Opinion Will he...

From A4

Will the siege, now on its fifth month, finally end?

Will the President lift martial law in Mindanao?

Those who know what is happening on the ground will tell you that terrorism will continue throughout Mindanao. In fact, some say that the Abu Sayyaf and the Maute Group will retaliate at some point and just attack another city in Mindanao.

Military intelligence also tells us that recruitment by the IS-inspired terror groups are being intensified, and that terror cells are already in place.

It would seem that recruitment can go as high as P100,000 for each jihadist. Just where the money comes from is a matter of speculation.

Others in the know say that firearms are coming from the Middle East.

President Duterte should not lift martial law in Mindanao just yet.

He has to prevent the ISinspired terror groups’ activities from spilling over into other parts of Mindanao and the country. ** * Now that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has taken over as the sole agency that will implement the President’s war on drugs. It is a big challenge to go after narco-politicians and financiers of the illegal drug trade, but an even bigger thing is to stop the supply of drugs to this country from outside, For as long there’s demand for illegal drugs, there will be supply. Thus the important thing is to

Celebrating...

From A4

Aquino. The Zamboanga crisis, while it lasted for less than a month, left lasting scars on the populace that up to now have not been completely healed.

Aquino’s government has been correctly criticized for apparently being concerned only with repelling a small band of Moro National Liberation Front rebels who declared the “independence” of Zamboanga from the rest of the country in early August of that year. After the uprising was put down by the military and the police, the administration seemed to lose interest in the admittedly difficult job of rehabilitating the city, which

rehabilitate drug users, who number between 3 million and 4 million, according to the President himself.

I keep repeating that going after the pushers is only half the problem. The more urgent problem is rehabilitating the users. *** The Pulse Asia survey on the war on drugs said that 88 percent support the drug war of President Duterte. The survey also showed that while the majority of people support the drug war, 73 percent acknowledge that extrajudicial killings take place.

Of course they do, despite the semantics of Malacañang and the police. For them to insist that no EJKs are happening is to insult our intelligence. ** * The Philippine National Police claims that the two-day jeepney strike nationwide was barely felt.

The Metro Manila Development Authority also claimed the effect was minimal.

Of course it was not felt because Malacañang declared a two-day holiday for students and government workers!

I believe in modernization of the “king of the road.” It’s about time.

Jeepneys must be safe. I have seen their evolution; I used to take jeepneys as a student and before I got married.

As the years passed, jeepneys became dilapidated. Their phaseout is necessary. It’s the duty of the government to make public transport safe.

The strike should not prevent the government from doing what is for the common good. resulted in what international aid agencies called the “humanitarian crisis” that followed quickly afterward.

Thousands of Zamboanga City residents who lost their homes and livelihoods due to intense aerial bombardment and deadly house-to-house battles that foreshadowed the Marawi counter-offensive were left to live in makeshift shelters for years after the incident. There is simply no excuse for Duterte’s government to abandon Marawi after it has won the war, like Aquino did in Zamboanga.

Let’s hope that change has truly come in the area of rebuilding a city destroyed by war. Now that the armed conflict has ended, it is time to win the peace.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Modernization BACK CHANNEL ALEJANDRO DEL ROSARIO WHY are the jeepney operators and driver organizations opposing the government’s move to modernize their decadeold fleet? These jeepneys are a throwback to the US army vehicles left behind in the country after its liberation from the Japanese occupying forces. Most of them are dilapidated and running on the sheer ingenuity of Filipino mechanics who replaced their engines and other parts pulled out from other Japanese and Korean cars.

George Mateo, the national president of Piston, the jeepney drivers association which led a nationwide strike, said the government plan to replace their old vehicles with new ones through loan financing is too expensive and cannot be afforded by their ranks.

“If the government push through with its plan, the drivers will be indebted for years,” said San Mateo. He asked why the government cannot set up a vehicle and parts manufacturing plant to lower the cost of new vehicles. San Mateo said the base fare increase in jeepney fares from P2 is not the solution. Commuters, he said, are already complaining against the fare hike amid the rising cost of other essential commodities like food, medicines and the constant increase in electricity rate.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, however, said that the Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines and other driver and owner groups are asking the P2 fare hike despite the P1 increase approved by the LTFRB seven months ago.

I do not ride jeepneys anymore so no one can accuse me of taking sides on this gut-wrenching issue.

Don’t call me an elitist who

looks down on people taking jeepneys to commute.

I stopped driving and sold my car when I retired five years ago. But I have taken jeepneys during my student days and when I started on my first job.

The government plan to modernize and replace the jeepney is meant to give the riding public a cleaner and more efficient public transport system. If that is the long-range government plan, no one can argue against it.

But if so why doesn’t the government start with modernizing and upgrading the public railway mass transport system? Official malfeasance is often paved with good intentions. The Land Transportation Office contracted a Dutch company for the manufacture of vehicle license plates when it could have been done locally. The Metro Rail Transit and the Light Rail Transit’s daily breakdown is testament to government ineptitude going all the way back to the administration

of former President Joseph Estrada—now Manila mayor.

Rebuilding Marawi from the ruins The government announced that the rebuilding of Marawi will soon start even as military clearing operations against remnants of the Maute/ISIS terrorist band are still going on.

Rebuilding Marawi, according to President Duterte, would cost at least P50 billion. If so, it has enough funds for the awesome task of rebuilding which government can source from the P40billion tax settlement from Mighty Cigarettes Corp. and the P6.3 billion in arrears paid by national flag carrier Philippine Airlines.

That’s P46.3 billion in available cash. The President can throw in some of his discretionary funds to complete the P50 billion he said is required to reconstruct Marawi.

Erick San Juan writes 30 I would like to pay trib-

ute and pray for the repose of newsman Erick San Juan’s soul who passed away last week at the age of 65. Erick is a well-known personality who made the rounds of nearly every news forum media gathering in the Metro area.

Erick San Juan has written several books on past and current political issues that may have stoke the sensitivity of certain people.

But he had an insight into these issues which made his books noteworthy.

Above all, Erick despite his tough-guy demeanor, was a kind, generous man particularly to his colleagues in media. I recall an instance when I had merely asked where I might be able to buy a desktop monitor that is not so expensive. Without saying anything Erick the next day gave for free a slightly used desktop screen which he said he could spare. That was how kind Erick was, friend and colleague and fellow member of the 45-yearold 365 Club.

Rest in peace, Erick.

Duterte’s ratings and reality VIRTUAL REALITY TONY LOPEZ RODRIGO Roa Duterte remains hugely popular but the Filipino people’s patience with him has begun to wear thin after 15 months as president.

That is the conclusion one can make out of the apparently conflicting surveys of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) (Sept. 2327, 2017) with 1,500 respondents, and Pulse Asia (Sept. 24-30, 2017), with 1,200 respondents.

Note that in statistics (I took up two semesters of Stat in my MBA course), the bigger the number of people interviewed (respondents), the more accurate the survey supposedly is, since a higher number is closer to the size of the population (the universe).

Also, the more recent the survey, the more accurate it is supposed to be and the closer it is to reality.

I was also taught by my Stat prof that a survey margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent is not very useful; hence, garbage.

The maximum margin of error should be 2 percent.

SWS says its sampling error is 2.5 for national percentages; 4 for Balance of Luzon, and 6 for Metro

Manila, Visayas and Mindanao. So read and interpret surveys with a grain of salt. This is not to say to people behind SWS and Pulse Asia are not professionals. They are professionals—as surveyors or pollsters.

According to SWS, Duterte’s satisfaction rating fell 11 percentage points to 67 percent in September 2017 from 78 percent in June 2017. In percentage terms, the drop is 16 percent. SWS, however, has the habit of netting the 67 percent out by deducting the percentage dissatisfied with Duterte—19, resulting in net satisfaction rating of +48.

This net satisfaction rating is reduction of 16 points or 27 percent, from +66 to +48 between June and September. That is the steepest fall in net satisfaction rating for Duterte in five surveys, and one of the deepest drops for any sitting president since SWS started making net satisfaction ratings surveys which covered six presidents since Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, a period of 30 years.

I cannot understand why SWS has to net out the 67 percent, since 67 implies a 33-point reduction from 100 points, the base figure.

That is why 100 minus 33 is 67. Why reduce that

figure (67) further by deducting the dissatisfied (19 percent) when the 19 is already a reduction from 100? The method results in double reduction, resulting in Duterte appearing to be less popular than he should be. The fact is 67 percent (nearly 7 of every 10) are happy with Duterte’s performance, period.

In terms of number of people trusting the President, that is even higher, 73 percent (7 of every 10 people).

Still, SWS insists on deducting the percentage of the people with little trust in the President, 12 percent, resulting in a net trust of +60. Actually, if you want to know the number of people who either trust him much or have little trust in Duterte, just add 73 (much trust) and little trust (12). The sum (73 plus 12) is 85. Make this 85 the new base of 100 points; so divide 73 by 85, what you get is an even higher trust figure—85.88 percent of the people have trust in Duterte.

In this light, one can then appreciate the apparently different and more positive Pulse Asia findings on Duterte.

Pulse Asia, interviewing at least 1,200 respondents also in the last week of September, found that 77

percent of the respondents (who are said to represent the Filipino people) are satisfied with Duterte’s performance. The number or percent of the people dissatisfied declined by one percentage point to 14, from 13.

I suspect that Duterte’s people know when the surveys are being conducted

by SWS and Pulse Asia.

That is why they apparently calibrate the President’s decisions on critical issues and manipulate events during the survey period.

Among the positive developments during the survey periods Sept. 23 to 30: minimum wages were increased effective Oct. 5; the stock market hit a new record, 8,300 and continued climbing after that; the filing of impeachment complaints against Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and Commission on Elections Chair Andres Bautista; the shaming of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales (for her alleged partiality and selective justice), Duterte’s threat to form a commission to investigate corruption at the Office of the Ombudsman, firing of the leftist Agrarian reform secretary, and the firing of a pro-Ayala Information and Technology secretary for conflict of interest and apparent corruption.

What is the basis for increasing minimum wages—already the highest in Southeast Asia outside Singapore? Nothing, except higher prices. Who is to blame for higher prices?

The government.

What is the basis for the stock market scaling a new high? Nothing. In fact, stock prices should go in reverse direction. Shares of stock of listed property companies are selling at 40 to 60 times the companies’ expected profits.

Imagine that—your P100 million profit being valued at P6 billion? Why? All these things are a perception game. In the meantime, small and poor people continue to be 90 percent of drug killings.

MRT3, used by 400,000 daily, continues to break down daily with predictable regularity. Two million people are out of work. Another 8 million have jobs they do not like because they are overqualified. It still takes weeks to get your passport. It still takes months to get your driver’s license and car plate. And only three of 75 Build, Build, Build infra projects will be completed by the Duterte government during his remaining time in office.

Why is it that just when we were turning the tide against the factors that made us an investment laggard in this part of the world, something terrible happens, like Marawi? *** Last Monday, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that effective the first of November, it is lifting its entry visa requirement for Filipinos on a trial basis ending July 31 next year, subject to review before the deadline.

This has been a muchanticipated move since they announced the plan as early as June this year, subject to the final concurrence of other agencies.

Taiwan hopes that more and more Filipinos would visit their very green and beautiful island where the food is excellent and the shopping cheaper than Hong Kong, and is less than two hours away from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. In fact,

if flights are eventually opened between Kaohsiung, its southern city with an international airport and Laoag in Ilocos Norte, or Lal-lo in Cagayan, the trip would take only 40 minutes.

From January to July this year, a total of 161,303 Filipinos visited Taiwan, which represented an increase of 73.5 percent over the same period in 2016, with 92,967 visitor arrivals.

On the other hand, Taiwanese visiting the Philippines had already increased by 24 percent in the first five months of 2017 compared to the same period last year.

But Marawi changed the momentum of increase, with a sharp decline in the months of June, July and August, corresponding to the school vacation months in Taiwan when young people would often come to enjoy the sun, sand and sea of our islands.

biznewsasia@gmail. com

Damage has been done SO I SEE LITO BANAYO WITH the confirmed deaths of the Maute brothers and Isnilon Hapilon, the war for Marawi may indeed be on its final gasps.

Even as we congratulate government, particularly our valiant soldiers and policemen who suffered numerous casualties in the long-drawn battles to recapture a large portion of Marawi, we rue the fact that so much damage has been wrought by the villainous siege of the ISinspired terrorists.

Tourism was greatly affected. Even if on the whole visitor arrivals from China increased due to the thaw in the previously icycold relationship between our countries, significant drops were seen in travelers from other countries, principally for fear of safe-

ty and security owing to the Marawi war.

We have a sad story to tell on account of Marawi.

In August last year, we started enticing a Taiwan conglomerate to invest in the Philippines, particularly in Mindanao. Specifically, we wanted them to put up a plant to produce carbon steel and stainless steel, and the proposed site was a 300-hectare area owned by Phividec in the municipalities of Tagoloan and Villanueva in Misamis Oriental.

They were quite enthusiastic, especially since the Philippines is one of the world’s major producers of nickel, which is the main ingredient in making steel “stainless.” They would source iron ore from Australia, which is relatively near Mindanao.

Their other option was Indonesia, which like us, is a main producer of nickel.

On the third week of September 2016, their

executives and engineers visited the Phividec site and were very positive about the location. It had a deep sea harbor, adequate electricity, with three power plants as source, the Tagoloan River for water requirements, and flat terrain.

The projected plant would mean an investment of some 2.1 billion US dollars and hire close to 8,000 for construction and some 3,000 direct labor when operational. If they started building in 2017, the plant would have been operational by 2021.

Negotiations had started for the long-term lease of the land. Some complications ensued because the old board of the Phividec, composed mostly of retired military officers looked at the project more as a real estate deal instead of putting a premium on its economic value, as well as the downstream industries it would eventually en-

gage, stainless steel being an important component in construction, as in the manufacture of appliances, kitchen equipment, and flatware.

The economic managers and the President enthusiastically supported the proposed project, even to the extent of appointing a new Phividec management which would support the proposal.

Meanwhile, the Taiwanese conglomerate decided to divide the project, with the less environmentallyobjectionable part in Indonesia and the environmentally-acceptable part in Mindanao. It would mean a lesser investment, some 1.4 billion, but aside from still being substantial, we were looking at the downstream industries, which would employ more.

Then in late May, Marawi was “invaded” by the terrorists. Three weeks after, together with DTI and DOF officials, we assured the

conglomerate that Marawi was 140 kilometers away from Phividec, and that the battles would soon be over.

But by that time, we could sense a reluctance, with some of their top executives saying quite frankly that “they don’t want to die too early.” The fear was palpable.

A follow-up visit in early October with the new executives of Phividec, and with the war in Marawi almost ended, was again for naught.

It was too good an investment opportunity to lose.

The war against the terrorists who besieged Marawi and held on for months and months on end may soon be over, with the ringleaders dead and more than a hundred hostages saved, but the damage done to the economy has been tremendous.

And the cost of reconstruction would be quite expensive, running to some 8 to 10 billion pesos.

World/News

A6

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Madrid piles pressure on Catalan separatists

IN BRIEF Weinstein called 'a monster' LAGUNA BEACH― Hollywood titan Jeffrey Katzenberg branded fallen movie mogul Harvey Weinstein “a monster” who was far from alone in sexually preying on actresses.

“Make no mistake about it, he is a monster,” Katzenberg said of Weinstein during an on-stage interview late Monday at the Wall Street Journal D.Live conference in Laguna Beach, California.

“The problem is there is a pack of wolves; he is not a lone actor in this. That is what we really need to find a way to deal with.”

More than two dozen actresses including marquee stars like Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and Mira Sorvino have come forward saying they were sexually harassed by the producer. AFP

Trump slammed over Iran deal SEOUL―Former French president Francois Hollande on Tuesday slammed Donald Trump’s hard-line stance on the Iran nuclear deal―which Paris helped to negotiate―as a “double fault”, warning the US president’s “unpredictability” threatened global stability.

Trump’s threat to ditch the landmark 2015 agreement, which saw Tehran dramatically scale back its nuclear ambitions in return for an end to punishing sanctions, has sparked a chorus of foreign support for the pact.

“Donald Trump’s decision not to certify the accord and to demand that Congress strengthen sanctions is, to my eyes, a double fault,” Hollande told a conference in Seoul.

The former leader’s first speech on international affairs since leaving the Elysee in May touched on global issues including climate change, economic protectionism and populist politics―and laid into the “confusion” appearing to emanate from the White House. AFP

Unruly Geisler sued by restobar

By Rio N. Araja ACTOR Baron Geisler is in trouble again, this time facing criminal charges before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office for unruly behavior inside a restobar on Tomas Morato Avenue.

The Quezon City Police District’s Station 10 arrested Geisler inside the restaurant beside Hotel Rembrandt on Monday past 9 p.m. The actor was charged with unjust vexation and alarm and scandal by the restobar management.

Nora Quilang, the establishment’s general manager, said Geisler entered the restobar and drank with two male companions from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The duo paid the bill and tried to convince the actor to leave the place with them.

“But he [Geisler] refused and stayed. Despite the ban on Geisler, the management still showed respect to him and allowed him to order and drink,” Quilang told the Manila Standard.

When his friends left the TGIF, Geisler became unruly. He pushed one of the security guards of the restobar, shouted and hurled invectives at the customers, prompting Quilang to seek police assistance.

At Police Station 10 in Kamuning district, the 35-yearold actor also shouted at the police officers and other members of the media.

A source said Geisler went inside Hotel Rembrandt and played piano without asking for permission from the management.

OFFERING A priestess walks at the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on October 17, 2017. Abe sent a ritual offering to a war shrine on October 17, risking protest from China and South Korea which see it as a painful reminder of Tokyo's warring past. AFP

MADRID-A Spanish court has ordered two powerful Catalan separatists to be detained, threatening a further escalation of the political crisis Tuesday as both sides refuse to budge in their high-stakes standoff over the region’s independence bid.

Protests broke out in Catalonia’s capital Barcelona on Monday as news spread that Jordi Cuixart and Jordi Sanchez were being kept behind bars on sedition charges.

The pair are the leaders of pro-independence citizens’ groups Omnium Cultural and the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) respectively, both of which count tens of thousands of members and have emerged as key players in the Catalonia crisis.

They are accused of stirring up major protests in the run-up to the banned October 1 independence referendum in the region

More sex-assault stories pour out on social media

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ASHINGTON-Celebrities and everyday people flooded social media with personal accounts of sexual assault and harassment Monday, responding to the calls to break the culture of silence around such abuse.

The massive global response was triggered by allegations recently made public against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, who is accused of rape and abuse dating back decades.

People shared stories and offered support under multiple hashtags, including #Me-

Too in English, #balancetonporc (“Rat out your pig”) in French, and #quellavoltache (“That time that”) in Italian.

American actress Alyssa Milano sparked the outpouring with a simple Twitter request Sunday that women respond “me too” if they had also been sexually harassed

or assaulted.

Tens of thousands of people replied, making #MeToo the top trending topic.

The posts continued to accumulate Monday, with the intensity of the social media response sharply underscoring the problem’s breadth― implicating fashion, entertainment, politics and the lives of everyday people.

Monica Lewinsky―who was at the center of the White House sex scandal in the 1990s leading to the impeachment trial of former US President Bill Clinton― simply tweeted the hashtag #MeToo without comment.

Responding to Milano’s call, Lady Gaga and Sheryl Crow were among those from the music world tweeting their support.

Crow shared her experience of improper behavior by a manager “on my first big tour as a backup singer.”

“When I went to a lawyer, he told me to suck it up bc the guy could do a lot for me,” Crow tweeted, “so I wrote songs about it on my first record.”

Actress Evan Rachel Wood wrote of being raped more than once, writing, “I instinctually shut down.

My body remembered, so it

protected me. I disappeared. #metoo.”

Prior to Milano’s call, American fashion model Cameron Russell took to Instagram last week asking her followers to share experiences of sexual abuse in her industry, using the hashtag #MyJobShouldNotIncludeAbuse.

She has been tweeting some of the hundreds of responses, anonymous stories ranging from recent experiences to some dating back two decades―primarily involving women, sometimes minors and occasionally men. AFP

100 immigration officers needed for holiday season

By Vito Barcelo THE Bureau of Immigration needs 100 additional immigration officers for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and other international airports next month in time for the expected influx and exodus of many travelers during the holiday season.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said he expects the Department of Justice to release the appointment papers of the newly-hired personnel before the month ends so they can train immediately and assume their posts this November.

Morente said that like those who were recruited earlier by the BI, most of the applicants to be hired are contractual employees who have served the BI for many years.

He said these employees were always bypassed in the job selection process in previous years

despite being qualified and having civil service eligibility.

“It is about time that we recognize the services of these employees by rewarding them with permanent items in our plantilla,” the BI chief said.

With the additional personnel, Morente foresees lesser passenger queues in Naia’s immigration counters during the Asean summit and the holiday season.

According to BI chief personnel officer and concurrent acting spokesman Grifton Medina, an applicant for the position of immigration officer I, should be a professional civil service eligible and a holder of a four-year college degree.

Medina said the BI expects the completion of the appointments of about 600 items for promotion by the end of the month. This will motivate incumbent immigration officers, as they will be promoted to higher positions, he added.

CELEBRATION. Vanessa Hudgens attends ELLE's 24th Annual Women in Hollywood Celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on Oct.16, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. AFP

MMDA thumbs down ‘brand-coding’ proposals

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Metro Manila Development Authority is receiving numerous proposals and suggestions to solve the worsening traffic situation in the metropolis that has caused billions of pesos in revenue losses.

MMDA chairman Danilo Lim revealed this following a recent meeting with members of the Metro Manila Council, the agency’s governing board and policy-making body composed of the 17 mayors and other local government officials in the National Capital Region.

Lim said one of the proposed traffic measures from various groups and individuals was a coding system

based on car brands.

“There are too many suggestions and you can just imagine,” said Lim. A retired overseas Filipino worker was the first one who proposed the car brand traffic scheme, as reported by GMA News in 2015.

Based on the proposal, a vehicle, depending on its brand, will not be allowed on the road for one day, as follows: Monday–Toyota; Tuesday–Mitsubishi; Wednesday–Honda; Thursday–Nissan, Isuzu; Friday –Mazda, Suzuki, Subaru; Saturday– American, European, Korean, and Chinese cars; Sunday–Free for all.

Vehicles that would not be included in the “brand coding” scheme are public utility jeep-

neys and buses, tourist buses, light and heavy vehicles, locally made “owner-type” jeepneys, and school service vehicles.

But Thomas Orbos, MMDA general manager and concurrent Inter-Agency Council on Traffic chief, is not in favor of the scheme.

Emerson Carlos, a lawyer and former MMDA chairman, also said the proposed system “still won’t be enough to lessen traffic, since the number of cars per brand on the road isn’t the same and the number coding system is still in place.”

Carlos, however, said the increasing number of vehicles is the main cause of traffic in Metro Manila—despite

the existing number coding scheme, or the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program, being imposed by the agency every day, except during weekend and regular holidays.

Under the number coding scheme, vehicles are banned f rom m ajo r roads from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. depending on the last digit of their license plates.

Lim seconded Carlos, saying more than 270,000 vehicles were registered in Metro Manila alone in 2016.

He said all the proposals made were presented to the MMC, but some of them were not discussed, while others are being considered, like the carpooling or ride sharing scheme.

of 7.5 million people which has its own language and culture.

“The state is playing at provocation,” Catalan government spokesman Jordi Turull said after the National Court ruling, as the two groups furiously called on the people of Catalonia to protest, with a strike planned for Tuesday.

“I’m calling for Catalan society to peacefully protest tomorrow,” said Jordi Bosch, secretary general of Omnium Cultural.

Calls for protest spread on social media with demonstrations planned in Catalonia and beyond, including London. Some people stopped work briefly at midday to call for the “release of political prisoners”.

Hundreds of independence supporters gathered outside Catalan government offices, some singing the region’s hymn and holding signs that read “Freedom for political prisoners”. AFP

Risking lives to retrieve belongings MEXICO CITY―Guadalupe Vazquez is standing below the wreckage of what used to be her home, patiently waiting for workers to recover the few belongings she has left after Mexico’s September 19 earthquake: some photographs of her daughters hanging on the wall, still visible from the street.

The small but spry octogenarian lived in Mexico City’s Narvarte neighborhood in a four-story apartment building, half of which collapsed during the 7.1-magnitude quake.

Her half is the one that collapsed, leaving nothing but one side of walls, including the one with the sepia-toned pictures of her daughters.

“Lupita,” as her friends call her, miraculously escaped the quake, which killed 369 people, mostly in the capital.

The one-time mountain climber, who once traveled the world scaling some of the highest peaks on Earth, had gone out to buy bread just before the ground started to shake.

When she returned, Vazquez thought she had taken the wrong street: the building she had lived in for 50 years was unrecognizable.

Reality sank in when Vazquez saw her photos on the wall.

“I realized that would be the only thing I had left― if they manage to get them out,” she said.

With the unstable building now set to be demolished, the authorities are letting one person at a time go back inside to retrieve belongings. AFP

Korean drug syndicate suspect caught in Angeles BI operation A KOREAN national, reportedly a member of an international drug syndicate, was nabbed by Bureau of Immigration operatives in Angeles, Pampanga.

Noh Jun Ho, who is wanted by the Korean authorities for illegal drug distribution in Korea and other Asian countries, was arrested by elements of the bureau’s fugitive search unit in coordination with the Korean National Police Agency at Barangay Cuayan, Angeles City.

Noh is on the Interpol red notice for violation

of The Narcotics Control Act of Korea, according to consul and police attachè Lee Soo Bok of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Manila.

The BI said Ho is an undocumented alien who “posted risk to public safety and security being a fugitive from justice for violation of ‘The Narcotics Control Act of Korea.’”

His passport has also been invalidated on Oct. 16, 2016.

He currently detained at the BI Warden Facility in Taguig pending deportation. Vito Barcelo

Sports Tertiary PH sports gets boost REP. Mark Zambar, member of the Youth and Sports Development Committee, confirmed support for collegiate sports from the lower house during the opening ceremonies of the National Consultative Meeting on Collegiate Sports at the Multi-Purpose Arena at the Philsports Complex in Pasig City today.

“We at the congress are willing to help, but we have to see a firm plan, let us all work together and find a direction” said Zambar.

The meeting hopes to unify stakeholders of collegiate sports to ultimately form a firm, allied program and a unified athletic association for university sports.

Zambar was positive in his expectations of the 2-day activity’s output, saying that “this is the bridge we have been looking for, ultimately helping us have better performances in the elite level like the Asian Games and the Olympic Games.”

This sentiment is shared

by Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez, who started his welcome address by admitting that the agency, after 27 years of existence, failed to completely fulfill its mandate. He was quick to add that the agency has recognized this and is now running to fill in gaps, starting with grassroots sports.

“We came here to build bridges. Yes, there are sad stories but we have to learn from those stories,” Ramirez said.

He shared that the agency is now connecting with different groups and agencies to make this happen, “we know there is strength in partnerships so we are partnering with the Department of Education to fortify the Palarong Pambansa, with the Commission on Higher Education for tertiary sports, with the Department of Interior and Local Government and different local gover nment units for grassroots sports.”

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Frazier, Judge power Yankees

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EW YORK—Home runs from Todd Frazier and Aaron Judge powered the New York Yankees to an 8-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Monday and back into their American League Championship Series.

After dropping the first two games of the best-ofseven series in Houston, the Yankees bounced back before a sell-out crowd of 49,373 at Yankee Stadium to trim the Astros’ series lead to 2-1.

Aaron Judge, the rookie sensation and AL Most Valuable Player candidate, broke out of his playoff slump with a two-out, threerun home run off of Astros

relief pitcher Charlie Morton that highlighted a five-run fourth inning.

Judge came up big defensively as well, with a leaping catch into the right field wall in the top of the fourth that denied Yuli Gurriel at least an extra base hit and possibly a home run.

Judge’s diving catch of a ball hit by Cameron Maybin gave the Yankees their first out of the fifth.

Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia pitched six gritty, scoreless innings.

Frazier gave Sabathia some early breathing room with a two-out, three-run homer off of Astros starting pitcher Charlie Morton in the bottom of the second inning.

Judge came into the game in a 4-for-31 slump in these playoffs—including 19 strikeouts—said he was pleased to provide support for Sabathia.

“It felt good to put a couple more runs on the board for CC,” Judge said of his home run. “He was working his butt off, did a great job tonight, and just to add those

extra couple of runs was huge for us.”

Sabathia allowed three hits in six scoreless innings, striking out five. He’s 10-0 this season when pitching following a Yankees defeat.

The 37-year old pitcher was making his 22nd postseason start, and produced his first scoreless playoff outing.

“It’s weird,” he said. “Me being 37, smoke and mirrors, getting a shutout. “I wanted to come out and try to give it everything I could to throw strikes and have a good performance.”

New York took the lead in the second. Starlin Cas-

tro sparked the two-out rally with an infield single. Aaron Hicks followed with a single to left-center before third baseman Frazier smacked a fastball that was down and outside into the right field stands.

“That home run I hit, it was unorthodox, but I’ll take a hundred like it,” he said.

‘Swing happy’ While the Astros’ big bats struggled—Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa were a combined 1-for-8 at the plate —Houston avoided being blanked when they posted their lone run in the ninth on a bases-loaded walk by Alex Bregman.

Chiang Kai Shek nails 2 cage wins

Aaron Judge (left) of the New York Yankees celebrates with Aaron Hicks after defeating the Houston Astros in Game Three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. The New York Yankees defeated the Houston Astros, 8-1. AFP

CHIANG Kai Shek College quickly logged wins in two divisions of the 30th Women’s Basketball League, organized by the Best Center recently at the Xavier School Fr. Rafael Cortina Sports Center.

The CKSC girls trounced the St. Paul College-Pasig belles, 56-41, for a head start in the 13-and-Under Developmental Division, before their 18-and-Under Competitive Division counterparts routed University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, 79-30.

Dalig National High School crushed St. Bridget School, 60-36, to join CKSC in the early lead of Group A in the 18-U Competitive Division of this tournament sponsored by

Bahonsua, Manito score twin PPS triumphs ELLAINE Bahonsua and John Manito pulled off a pair of victories each in varying fashions as they shared top honors in the Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Dumaguete leg regional tennis tournament at the Praxevilla Tennis Courts last Monday.

Bahonsua, 16, wore down Bless Coderos, 7-5, 3-6, 106, in the girls’ 18-and-under finals then scored a 7-5, 4-2 (ret.) triumph, also against Coderos, in her age-group to complete her two-title

romp in the Group 2 tournament sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop and presented by Slazenger.

Manito also needed an extra set to repulse Faith Banico, 2-4, 5-3, 4-2, and snare the 10-unisex crown before the young bet from Pardo, Cebu toppled Lance Orellano, 6-2, 6-1, in the boys’ 12-U finals of the event backed by the Unified Tennis Group, including Cebuana Lhuillier, PPS-PEPP, Wilson, Toby’s, BMeg, Citigreen, Babolat

and Tru-Flex.

Three local bets also came away with victories, including unranked Randy Tatoy, who stunned top seed Andre Rodriguez, 1-6, 6-3, 10-7, in the semis then ripped No. 2 Jacob Diago, 6-1, 6-2, to claim the boys’ 14-U crown.

Antonio Bandoquillo, another unseeded bet, also shocked No. 1 Wilfredo Grospe, 4-0, 4-2, in the quarterfinals then beat Rodriguez, 6-2, 6-1, in the 16-U finals of the event hosted by

Gov. Roel Degamo in line with Dumaguete’s Buglasan Festival celebration.

Lyka Tatoy also hacked out a shock 6-3, 6-4 victory over top seed Hazel Coderos to snatch the girls’ 14-U diadem in the five-day tournament which served as the 42nd leg of the nationwide, year-long circuit put up by the country’s leading pawnshop and money remittance company.

“These unseeded players’ triumphs only show that the PPS-PEPP program is working in terms of dis-

covering and producing new faces and fresh talents.

They should also inspire the other youngsters to continue aspiring for recognition and ranking points in the circuit,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro.

Other winners were Cebu’s Vhon Tudtud, who outlasted Reyniel Marcellana, 6-4, 4-6, 10-7, in the boys’ 18-U finals, and Banico, who took the girls’ 12-U plum with a 6-3, 6-1 rout of Shara Paliwag.

Woods swinging driver as rehabilitation continues LOS ANGELES— Tiger Woods, who tantalized fans with a Twitter video of himself hitting a driver on Sunday, has been cleared by doctors to resume full golf activities, ESPN reported on Monday.

The 14-time major champion hasn’t played since February, when he withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic. He has played three times in two years thanks to a series of injuries and had a fourth back surgery in April.

At the Presidents

Cup two weeks ago, Woods acknowledged that he didn’t know if he would ever return to competitive golf.

But on Sunday the 41-year-old posted a video of himself— clad in a trademark red shirt of the kind he sported on so many championship Sundays—hitting his driver.

“Making Progress” was the caption.

The post followed an Oct. 7 post that heralded “Smooth Iron Shots” and a post on August 31 that said: “Dr. gave me the ok to

start pitching”.

ESPN quoted Woods’s agent, Mark Steinberg, as saying the former world number one had received a “nice report” in the wake of a medical check-up last week and had been cleared to “do as much as he needs to do”.

However, Steinberg cautioned that Woods, who was arrested in May for driving under the influence of a variety of prescription drugs, would continue to take his rehab “very, very slowly”. AFP

Aussie guard Exum set for shoulder operation LOS ANGELES—Utah Jazz point guard Dante Exum will have surgery next week on his injured left shoulder, the team said Monday, with no timetable set for his NBA return.

The procedure to stabilize the shoulder is set for October 24—a week after the NBA season tips off on Tuesday.

Exum suffered a separated shoulder and ligament damage in a pre-season game against the Phoenix Suns on October 6.

The 22-year-old Aus-

“CC was really good because he didn’t make a lot of mistakes,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said.

“He can pitch with the elevated fastball. He’s got a pretty good breaking ball, especially when he gets you in the swing mode.

“We were a little swing happy tonight against him and he took advantage of being able to pitch to the outer parts of the strike zone.”

The Yankees will try to level the series when they host game four on Tuesday.

The winner of the series will face either the Los Angeles Dodgers or Chicago Cubs in the World Series. AFP

tralian was hurt driving to the basket in the first half of Utah’s 112-102 victory.

Exum, selected fifth overall in the 2014 NBA draft, missed the entire 2015-16 season after tearing a ligament in his left knee in August 2015 while playing for Australia’s national team.

Exum averaged 6.2 points, 1.7 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 66 games last season. The Jazz went 5131 and were swept by eventual champion Golden State in the second round of the playoffs. AFP

FOOTBALL CHAMP. Members of Alegria Football Club celebrate after winning the Mixed

Open Division 1 Championship of the Corporate Football League Cup via a 7-1 win over Kuya FC Saturday night at the Blue Pitch in Circuit, Makati. The team, a CFL first-timer, is composed of players from Zamboanga City and women standouts led by Kristine Vinzon.

Rizada, Mamaril top Highlands Ladies Cup RJ Rizada carded a three-over 75 to capture the low gross crown while Jordan Mamaril took the low net title with a 68 as they shared top honors in the 12th Highlands Ladies Cup at Tagaytay Midlands Golf and Country Club last weekend.

Rizada, a 6-handicapper, gunned down three birdies and made 10 pars against four bogeys and a double-bogey, edging Johann See in the countback to snare the low gross honors in the 18-hole tournament backed

by Diamond sponsors Auto Nation Group Inc., Pacific Online and W Group of Companies.

See, who also shot a gross 75 for a net 69, took the Group A crown, nipping Nemesio Pagtakhan, who made a net 70 from a gross 81.

Mamaril, a 9-handicapper, turned in a gross 77 and ran away the low

net title with a 68 in the rain-hit event supported by Platinum sponsors Leisure & Resorts World Corp., Powerball Gaming & Entertainment Corp., Royal Caribbean Corp., San Miguel Corp., Security Bank and SM Retail.

Willy Maldia fired a net 71 from a gross 95 and edged Gerry Romualdez (71-99) for the Group B plum; Pablito del Villar also won via countback in Group C, shooting a net 76 from a gross 104 and foiling Gerard Aceret (76-104); while Shiela Ward topped the ladies division with a net 69 from a gross 79, holding off Careth Ricamonte, who had a gross 78 for a net 70.

Mamaril also hit the longest drive on No. 2 (387 yards) while Carina Ricamonte hacked it to 260 yards.

Roy Bjorklund came up with the most accurate drive, just 67 cms off the marker on No. 11 while Ruben

Uy took the nearest to the pin honors on No. 17 (750 cms).

Other backers of the event were (gold) Baron Travel Corp., Lucerne Philippines and Regent Travel; (silver) Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Kaiser Int’l Health Group, New Golden City Builders, Petron, Smart Communications, Splash and SM Prime; and (bronze) Ajisen Ramen, Alphatec Chemical Corp., Bavaria Beer, Burlington Socks, CaraDerme, Concrete Masters; Dickies, Doña Maria, Dunkin’ Donuts, EData Services Phils., Fitness First, H&E Mfg Corp., Holland Blooms, Honda Cavite, Hyundai Asia Resources Inc., IAJ Wellness Corp., International Marketing Corp., Kawsek & Co., Orocan, Parola Maritime Agency Corp., Peerless Products Mfg Corp., Pisanti and Watsons.

MILO and supported by Rain or Shine Elasto Paints, Chris Sports and Sklz.

Group B winners were La Salle College-Antipolo over St. Paul College-Pasig, 73-33; and Escuela de Sophia over Casimiro Ynares Memorial National High School, 49-36.

The 18-Under Developmental Division saw Raises Academy beating St. James Academy, 27-23, in Group A; St. Stephen’s High School overpowering St. Scholastica’s College-Manila, 36-20, and New Era High School defeating St. Paul CollegePasig, 15-7, in Group C; and Quezon City Academy outlasting La Salle College-Antipolo, 32-28, in Group D.

ABS-CBN, S+A air NBA games, shows on free TV FILIPINO basketball fans will get to join the rest of the world in welcoming the 72nd season of the National Basketball Association as ABSCBN begins its free TV telecast of the world’s greatest basketball league with the live airing of the much-anticipated Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics game at 8 a.m. on S+A this Wednesday.

The game, which will have a same-day replay at 12 noon and on primetime at 10:30 p.m. on S+A, will be a great test for the Celtics’ new Big Three of Al Horford, Gordon Hayward, and Kyrie Irving as they face a retooled Cavaliers squad that has added former Celtics Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder, former MVP Derrick Rose, and former Finals MVP Dwyane Wade to help Lebron James reach his eighth straight Finals.

On Friday, fans will get a first taste of the Lonzo Ball experience as the Purple and Gold of the Los Angeles Lakers take on their cross-town rivals Los Angeles Clippers live at 10:30 a.m, with a replay on primetime at 6 p.m. The much-hyped second overall pick will have to lead a young team that includes Fil-Am star Jordan Clarkson against a Clippers team that still boasts of a formidable frontcourt of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, and ballyhooed international star Milos Teodosic.

On Saturday, the Joel Embiid-led Philadelphia 76ers will challenge the Celtics in the return of #NBASabaDos on ABS-CBN at 8:30 a.m. with a replay on S+A at 11:30 a.m. and on primetime at 6:30 p.m. on S+A. On Sunday, defending champions Golden State Warriors will take their Steph Curry and Kevin Durant shows to the Memphis Grizzlies’ den at the FedEx Forum to face Marc Gasol and Mike Conley live at 8 a.m., with a replay at 11:30 a.m. and on primetime at 6:30 p.m. on S+A. Wrapping up the first week of NBA offerings on Monday is Minnesota Timberwolves, featuring transferee Jimmy Butler versus the powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder, led by MVP Russell Westbrook and All-Stars Paul George and Carmelo Anthony LIVE at 7 am with same day replay at 12 noon and 6 p.m. on S+A. S+A programs are mirrored on S+A HD SKYcable 166 so fans can also catch the games in high definition on cable.

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

P0 M+ P0 M

Sports

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

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Dela Cruz steps up in Kent’s absence as Chiefs win

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017

Games Thursday (The Arena in San Juan) 2 p.m. LPU vs San Sebastian (srs) 4 p.m. LPU vs San Sebastian (jrs)

By Peter Atencio

Barangay Ginebra’s Japeth Aguilar scores from inside in Game 2 of the Kings’ Governors’ Cup Best-of-Seven Championship showdown with the Meralco Bolts. Ginebra won, 86-76, to grab a 2-0 lead.

Gin Kings eye 3-0 lead

By Jeric Lopez

M

AKE no mistake about it, Barangay Ginebra knows there’s still a lot of work to be done.

showed championship poise in critical times, leading to this explosive 2-0 start.

Still, Ginebra coach Tim Cone, being the veteran coach that he is, knows that the series is well far from over with his team only halfway there.

“It’s still not over for sure.

They still have a lot of punches to throw at us,” said Cone of the dangerous Bolts. “It’s always good to have an early lead in the series, but it doesn’t guarantee anything. There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

After a dominant victory in Game 1, Ginebra followed it up with a tougher triumph in Game 2 as it came from behind to take down Meralco, 86-76, Sunday night to carve this 2-0 lead.

Cone is still wary of the capabilities of the ailing, but very hungry Bolts.

“We beat them two in a row but they can certainly comeback. We just can’t be too happy or too pleased just yet,” said Cone.

Ginebra will once again

Despite their commanding 2-0 series lead, the Gin Kings look to continue pouncing on staggered Meralco in the resumption of their intense best-of-seven championship tilt in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup.

Ginebra shoots for an even more authoritative 3-0 lead even as the Bolts look trim their deficit as they meet once again in Game 3 at 7 p.m. today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Through two games, the Gin Kings were the side that

Blue Eagles wary of Bulldogs

Senate Defenders whip GSIS Furies in UNTV Cup

Games Today (MOA Arena) 2 p.m. Adamson vs UE 4 p.m. NU vs Ateneo THE National University Bulldogs are in the groove.

And they vow to get better in the second round of the 80th University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament.

That’s why the Ateneo Blue Eagles will have to be ready for them when they meet at 4 p.m. today at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“NU, they’re starting to pick up,” said Blue Eagles coach Sandy Arespacochaga.

So far, the Blue Eagles have stretched their winning run to eight after their 71-59 triumph over the Adamson Falcons last Saturday.

Thirdy Ravena led Ateneo’s balanced attack with 15 points in that game.

On the other hand, the Falcons are hoping to bounce back from that loss to Ateneo which gave them a 5-3 win-loss slate in third.

The Falcons hope to remain in third spot if they are able to get past the University of the East Warriors at 2 p.m.

The Bulldogs (3-5) come into their game with the Blue Eagles reeling from a 77-90 setback to the Warriors.

A win by the Falcons will allow them to stay in front of the Far Eastern University Tamaraws (5-4). Peter Atencio

fenders, who now have TOUGH defense led Games Sunday a 2-0 record. the Senate Defenders (Pasig City Sports Center) In the first game of the to a 91-81 win against 2 p.m. COA vs. PNP the GSIS Furies in the 3:30 p.m. - Malacañang vs. PDEA triple-header, the AFP 5 p.m. - AFP vs. Senate Cavaliers handed Comthird game on Sunday’s mission on Audit EnUNTV Cup triple headablers its second loss after the two-time er at the Pasig City Sports Center.

“Pinaghandaan talaga namin ‘yung champion beat the rookie team, 127-103.

The soldiers were led by Best individual defense, para gumanda ‘yung team defense. Kanina nakita Players of the Game Alvin Zuniga niyo result ang individual defense, with 28 points and Vicente Evidor, tru-map kami, nag-straight match up who made 25 points.

The AFP Cavaliers are undefeated kami, nag half-court trap so maganda nga ‘yung resulta,” Senate head coach after two games.

Meanwhile, the Department of AgriMike Fermin said.

Jeffry Sanders was hailed as the Best culture rose in Group B with a 2-1 rePlayer of the Game after scoring 17 cord after stunning the Ombudsman team, 98-61. points and grabbing seven boards.

DA administrative assistant 1 Christian Meanwhile, Senator Joel Villanueva contributed 10 points and Senator Son- Dematera led the team with 23 points, 5 ny Angara had seven points to the De- rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.

Game Today (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 7 p.m. Ginebra vs Meralco

lean on the steady plays of LA Tenorio, Justin Brownlee and Joe Devance, while hoping that Best Player of the Conference Greg Slaughter can regain his touch after having a sub-par Game 2 showing.

Meralco coach Norman Black, despite the odds that his team is facing, is still very positive and optimistic that his team still has a good

chance at the championship.

“We know how it feels to be down 0-2 but at the same time, it’s still possible for us to comeback,” said Black.

“We’ll be out there fighting.

The series is not yet over.”

For the Bolts to be able to make it a series, two-time Best Import Allen Durham would need a lot help.

Durham continues to show why he’s the Best Import, but his teammates are still yet to find the consistency in the series.

AFP Cavaliers’ Wilfredo Casulla (15) fires a long-range shot against the COA Enablers on October 15, 2017 at the Pasig City Sports Center.

POINT guard Levi dela Cruz continued to prove himself as a worthy replacement for injured main man Kent Salado.

Levi Dela Cruz, a 5’9” guard, stepped it up again to help propel the Arellano University Chiefs to an 81-64 beating of the Mapua Cardinals yesterday at The Arena in San Juan.

With De la Cruz exploding for 20 points, the Chiefs remained in contention for the last semifinal slot in the 93rd National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

Coming up with a 7 of 13 field-goal performance, Dela Cruz helped lift the Chiefs to a 9-9 win-loss record at the end of their second round campaign, allowing AU to claim a playoff berth for the last semis seat.

Also making 4-of-5 attempts from the threepoint area, to go with five assists, three rebounds and a pair of steals, Dela Cruz showed what he can do best while Salado is out of commission.

Salado won’t be available for at least a month after sustaining an MCL injury in his right knee. “‘Yung wins, deceiving ‘yun, nag-struggle kami sa chemistry kasi wala si Kent,” said Chiefs coach Jerry Codinera.

Letran (8-9) and San Sebastian College (8-9) are also in contention for the last semis berth.

In case of a twoway tie, there will be a playoff between the two teams. And if a threeway scramble at 9-9 takes place, there will be a stepladder playoff for the no. 4 spot.

Lervin Flores had 14 points, while Zach Nicolls finished with 11 for Arellano University.

Earlier, the Emilio Aguinaldo College finished its campaign by stopping Perpetual Help, 83-81.

The Generals banked on Jerome Garcia to end a five-game skid. Garcia scored 10 points in the fourth period.

PH seniors upbeat of ASEAN amateur golf championship bid A CRACK Philippine team seeks to continue its winning tradition as it hosts the 34th Asean Senior Amateur Golf Championships beginning today (Wednesday) at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country in Gen. Trias, Cavite.

The Filipinos set out to retain the team and individual gross titles they won last year in Brunei and at the same time wrest the overall championship from the Bruneians as the three-day competition featuring six countries is held in the country for the seventh time.

“I think this is the strongest team we have assembled,” said Lino Mag-

pantay, who along with Eddie Bagtas, Ryan Abdon, Ed Manzanarez led Phl to the prestigious Tun Henry H.S. Lee Challenge Trophy for their team gross win in 2016.

“We’ll do our best to defend our title in stroke play and also win the overall championship here,” added the veteran campaigner.

Out to foil the host’s bid are Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Indonesia.

The organizing Federation of Philippine ASEAN Senior Golfers, Inc. is fielding in 59 bets, who are vying for top honors in the centerpiece stroke play (gross and net) and Stableford

play featuring the age groups 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, and 75-over.

Close to 300 golfers from all over the region are taking part with Thailand fielding the biggest team with 60, followed by Phl, Malaysia (48), Singapore (39), Brunei (33), and Indonesia (15).

According to FPASGI president Melito Salazar, Jr., the hosting is timely considering it is the 50th anniversary of the ASEAN and the Phl chairs the organization this year.

The event is sponsored by Camella, OmniPay, QuickMinds Corporation, Steel Asia, MegaFiber Food Fiber Health Supplement, Eastridge Senior Golfers, Royal Northwoods Senior

Golfers, Mimosa Senior Golfers Association, Rayman Builders, Inc., Civic Merchandising Inc., Senior Golfers Association of Eagle Ridge, Valley Golf Seniors Association, Inc., El Masfino Hotel and Resort, PDG Emiliano D. Joven, PDG. Jess Nicdao, Cocolife, CP/PAG Licerio “Jun” G. Sebastian, Luisita Central Park Hotel—PDG. Jessie Cano Chua, Riviera Seniors Golf Club, Mr. Lucas F. Pasiliao-Coalition of Associations of Senior Citizens in The Philippines, Inc. (Senior Citizen’s Partylist), Rizgolf Sports Marketing, PR Savings Bank, C.M. Pancho Construction, Inc., Mitsubishi Motors, Philippines Sports Commission, PAG-

COR, Life Oil Pure Malunggay Oil Extract, Gardenia, R.d. Interior Junior Construction General Engineering and General Building, Genetron International Marketing, Philippine Navy Golf Seniors, Federation of Philippine Amateur Senior Golfers, Inc. (FPASGI), Senior Golfers of Veterans, Inc., RCBC, Pradera Verde Golf and Country Club Seniors, Club Intramuros Senior Golfers Association, Capitol Senior Golfers, Inc., Ambassador Vidal Erfe Querol, The Bayleaf Cavite, Summit Ridge Tagaytay, Clean Masters Inc.—Fernando “Randy” Reyla, Golf Info Network, and Camp Aguinaldo Seniors Club.

Quiban-Rhounimi wrests Pro-Am lead with a 70

Justin Quiban (back) and amateur partner Moulay Rhounimi study the line of their putt on No. 17.

LIPA City, Batangas – Justin Quiban and Moulay Rhounimi rode on a birdie-binge at the back to card a two-under 70 then watched a couple of rivals falter at the finish to seize the solo lead at the start of the ICTSI National Pro-am Open at the Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

Benjie Magada and Carlo Quimson went two-under after 14 holes but bogeyed Nos. 15 and 16 while the Tonton

Asistio-Jude Eustaquio pair bogeyed Nos. 8 and 9 on its way home, leaving Quiban and Rhounimi on top of the 117team heap of the P2 million tournament using the foursomes (alternate shot) format.

In contrast, Richard Abaring and JC Alba birdied the last two holes at Mt. Lubo to grab solo second at 71 while the MagadaQuimzon, Asistio-Eustaquio, Reymon Jaraula-Noel Langamin, and Paul Echavez- Hideno-

bu Hirooka tandems slipped to joint third with even 72s.

Quiban and Rhounini bucked a 37 start at Mt. Lubo with birdies on Nos. 11, 13 and 14 at Mt. Malipunyo and though they bogeyed the par-3 15th, the duo recovered the stroke with a birdie on the par-5 17th to set the pace in the 54-hole championship sponsored by ICTSI offering P360,000 to the pro champion and trophy and prizes to the amateur.

A host of teams actually crowded the Quiban-Rhounimi pair for the lead in ideal condition majority of the way but wavered coming home with the Asistio-Eustaquio duo dropping off the joint lead with closing bogeys.

Magada and Quimzon looked headed for an explosive finish after birdying Nos. 10 and 12 but stumbled with those two bogeys before closing out with a birdie-bogey stint.

Calata rejects tender offer advice B3

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017

B1

World Bank reaffirms Marawi aid

By Julito G. Rada

IN BRIEF

HE World Bank on Tuesday committed to help the government rehabilitate the war-torn Marawi City in Mindanao, after President Rodrigo Duterte declared that the city was liberated from terrorists.

Agri project gets P7.9b in financing

THE Agriculture Department said it will exercise strict measures to prioritize infrastructure projects under the Philippine Rural Development Project with an additional P7.9-billion financing from the World Bank.

The loan represents the first tranche of the $450-million additional financing sought by the department for the government’s various expansion programs.

The loan is estimated to cover part of the pipelined sub-projects that cost around P15.56 billion.

Agriculture Undersecretary Ariel Cayanan said that the prioritization scheme would help rationalize the programming and budgeting process of infrastructure development projects.

“The pipelined subprojects― our ‘healthy’ pipeline as we call it―have already complied with the requirements such as feasibility study, detailed engineering design, and social and environmental safeguards but as we are currently challenged by limited budget, the best way to approach this is to fund the best proposals based on a set of criteria,” Cayanan said. Othel V. Campos

Solon pushes greater power competition

SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian called for a review of market share limitation in the power industry, as around 60 percent of the installed energy capacity is reportedly controlled by only three companies.

“A perusal of the existing electricity industry shows the presence of dominant players and high retail rates,” Gatchalian told participants of the Executive Seminar on Fostering Dynamic Competition in the Philippine Electricity Industry.

Gatchalian said the matrix which was used to determine market share limitation under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act should also be reviewed as the law specifies installed generating capacity as the measure in computing market share.

Gatchalian, however, said this was not reflective of the true market power of a company as the installed capacity is different from the power generated and injected to the grid.

The EPIRA states that market share limitations prohibit generation firms from owning more than 30 percent of a grid and more than 25 percent of the installed capacity of the national grid. Alena Mae S. Flores

Technolux organizes food safety seminar

TECHNOLUX, the country’s largest importer and supplier of foodservice, small wares and laundry equipment, cited the need for food safety in the country.

The company said to spread awareness of food safety, it would hold a business series featuring “Benchmark for Food Safety – HACCP” at Mall of Kitchens in Kamagong St., Makati City on Oct. 27.

HACCP or Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points is a preventative food safety system in which every step in the manufacture, storage and distribution of a food product is scientifically analyzed for microbiological, physical and chemical hazards.

Technolux said participants in the free seminars would learn about HACCP, its importance in day-to-day store/restaurant operations, the six HACCP prerequisites, goals on food safety and food demos to be conducted by a guest chef from Global Academy.

It said participants would also learn more about the best equipment that they need when opening a business or upgrading their kitchens.

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

36.6272

Taiwan

Dollar

0.033122

1.7020 Source: PDS Bridge

T

ICTSI’S AWARD. The Board of Investments presents to port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. the 2017 Guinogulan Award for Large Enterprises for the latter’s significant contribution to the country’s economic growth. Shown during the awarding ceremony are (from left) Trade Secretary and BOI chairman Ramon Lopez, ICTSI purchasing director Mariel Zamora, ICTSI senior vice president and head of Asia Pacific region Christian Gonzalez, ICTSI Asia Pacific Business Services Inc. general manager Antonio Coronel, ICTSI purchasing assistant manager Ma. Theresa C. Culanay, ICTSI public relations manager Jupiter Kalambakal and Trade Undersecretary Nora Terrado.

Economy expanded over 6% in Q3—ING THE local unit of the Netherlands-based ING Bank said the Philippine economy likely grew more than 6 percent in the third quarter, led by higher government spending.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng and both government expenditures and revenues were expected to rise in double-digit figures in September.

“Government is expected to report September fiscal performance within the next couple of weeks.

We expect government to post a September headline and core spending growth

of around 15 [percent] to16 percent year-on-year while revenues could show a 19-percent increase,” Cuyegkeng said in a report Tuesday.

“These imply a fiscal deficit of more than P70 billion.

The needed boost in government spending would support a GDP growth of more than 6 percent in the third quarter,” Cuyegkeng said.

The government said last week that September tax collections increased significantly. BIR collections were 21.5 percent higher from a year ago. The collection included P12 billion of tax-settlement related col-

lections.

“The tax settlement collection of P5.8 billion is expected this month and another P8.5 billion is expected in November. These tax settlement payments are part of the settlement between government and Mighty Corp. News last Friday was about Custom’s tax collections which were 18.7 percent higher yearon-year,” Cuyegkeng said.

Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said an average growth rate of 7 percent this year and beyond would be sustainable as macroeconomic fundamentals remained sol-

id and strong.

Dominguez said a speech during the annual meetings of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund in Washington D.C. that the Philippines emerged as an important engine of growth for the East Asian region.

“We are now the second fastest-growing economy in the region. We are aspiring to achieve a growth rate of 7 percent this year and through the medium term.

That is a rate of growth we consider sustainable given our macroeconomic fundamentals,” Dominguez said.

Julito G. Rada

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said in a meeting in Washington D.C., World Bank chief executive Kristalina Georgieva confirmed the institution’s commitment to work with the Philippine government in helping Marawi City rise from devastation.

Dominguez said the bank also committed to scale up support for peace-building efforts in Mindanao.

Georgieva said the World Bank, given its capability and expertise in rebuilding conflict-hit areas, could provide technical aid and other forms of assistance to the Philippines to help rebuild Marawi City.

Georgieva also welcomed Dominguez’s plan to tap domestic resources to raise funds for Marawi’s reconstruction, which she said, was “the right thing to do” and underscored the importance of “inclusive development” as a key aspect of the rehabilitation strategy for the city.

“We can only express all of our sympathy for what has been going on in Marawi,” said Georgieva during the meeting at the World Bank headquarters.

“As an institution that has committed to peaceful development and dealing with conflict situations, we would be honored in helping in terms of [re]building and engaging in any possible way what we can do in this situation,” Georgieva said.

Aside from Dominguez, other Filipino officials who attended the meeting were Foreign Secretary Alan Pe-

PAL ready to submit new passenger terminal offer

NLEX invests P2.5b for expansion

By Darwin G. Amojelar

PHILIPPINE Airlines will submit next month a revised proposal to the government to build a new passenger terminal at the Nayong Pilipino complex, a top executive said Tuesday.

PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista said the flag carrier would propose the revised terms of lease contract with state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. for the use of its property by the end of November.

Bautista said the current lease contract with Pagcor only allows the airline to use the property for aircraft parking at a lease price of P40 per square meter.

“If we will use it for other purpose, of course we have to talk to them,” Bautista said, adding Pagcor was also open to the revision of terms of the lease contract.

Pagcor earlier said PAL was prohibited from using the leased premises for any other business or purpose including the construction of a new terminal without prior written consent.

The state-run company said PAL’s contract with a former management of the state-run gaming corporation only included the use of the rented property as “an aircraft parking ramp/apron facility.”

Pagcor said PAL was only paying a monthly rental fee of P40 per square meter for 10 hectares at the former Nayong Pilipino complex, which was disadvantageous to the government.

BUSINESS SUMMIT. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez (right) talks to European Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen (left) and European Union-Philippines Business Network chairman Guenter Taus during the European-Philippine Business Summit at Solaire Grand Ballroom in Parañaque City. Lino Santos

Security Bank launches initial deposit instrument worth P5b SECURITY Bank Corp., the fifth-largest bank in terms of assets, on Tuesday launched an initial tranche of longterm negotiable certificates of deposits worth P5 billion in a bid to better manage its liabilities and fund future growth.

Security Bank said 0n a statement the issuance was in line with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ approval to issue notes on Oct. 5, 2017.

“For the first tranche, Security Bank intends to offer at least P5 billion worth of CDs, and may upsize the transaction depending on demand. It will have a tenor of 5 years and 6 months and will

be marketed at an indicative rate of 3.875 per annum,” it said.

“The final rate for the CDs will be determined during the public offer period, which will run from Oct. 17 to Oct. 30, 2017. Minimum denominations have been set for P50,000 and increments of P10,000 thereafter,” it said.

LTNCDs are considered an effective way for banks to raise cost-effective funding, while offering a new investment product to their own deposit base, most of whom are looking for long-term assets that provide higher yields than traditional time deposits.

HSBC and Standard Char-

ter Cayetano and Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia of the National Economic and Development Authority.

Dominguez emphasized the need for World Bank’s technical advice and expertise in reconstructing the entire city of Marawi as the Philippines had very limited experience in handling a rehabilitation program of this magnitude. “[The rehabilitation of Marawi] is a complicated situation,” said Dominguez, noting as an example the issue involving land titling for returning residents, many of whom are informal settlers living in multi-story structures.

“The World Bank has the experience in reconstruction. We want to rebuild the entire city and keep a part of it as a memorial,” Dominguez said.

Dominguez informed Georgieva that with the approval of President Duterte, the government opted to raise funds “domestically” for Marawi’s recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction program by, among others, issuing bonds.

“I would like to introduce the concept that the rest of the country is involved in Marawi, that we have to contribute ourselves to the reconstruction and we are going with the bond issue,” said Dominguez.

Georgieva said the Philippine government and the World Bank “need to work together” even as she cited the strength and resilience of Filipinos in dealing with conflict and tragedies.

tered Bank were tapped as joint lead arrangers and bookrunners and would also act as selling agents together with Security Bank and Multinational Investment Bancorporation.

Security Bank said to further promote the investment instruments, it would hold a multi-city roadshow, starting in Park Inn by Radisson in Clark, Pampanga on Oct. 17, Park Inn by Radisson in Davao on Oct. 18 and Marco Polo Plaza in Cebu on Oct. 19.

It asked interested investors to attend these briefings to know more about Security Bank’s recent developments and performance, and

better understand the terms and conditions of the CDs by reaching out to tSecurity Bank branches or any of the selling agents.

Security Bank will list the CDs at the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. to provide secondary market liquidity to investors who would like to trade the instruments.

Security Bank signed a strategic partnership with The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd., the largest bank in Japan and a member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group last year to help the local bank achieve accelerated growth through capital infu-

sion and business collaboration.

BTMU invested P36.9 billion representing a 20-percent equity stake in Security Bank.

Security Bank ranked as the fifth largest lender with P775 billion in assets and 5th in terms of capital with P101 billion as of June 30, 2017.

Security Bank also ranked fifth in return on shareholders’ equity at 10.6 percent, second in asset quality and second in NPL reserve cover.

Security Bank registered a net income of P8.6 billion and a return on equity of 10.4 percent in 2016.

Julito G. Rada

NLEX Corp. said Tuesday it invested P2.5 billion for new expressway lanes at the North Luzon Expressway to ease traffic congestion and accelerate economic development in Central Luzon.

NLEX said it built new expressway lanes from Sta. Rita, Guiguinto, Bulacan to San Fernando City, Pampanga, which was opened in March this year to help improve travel convenience and promote growth of local businesses.

The new projects also involve the upgrading of the five-kilometer Candaba Viaduct by adding third lanes and building new emergency stopping areas on both directions.

It said new 2x2, eight expressway lane kilometers in Mabalacat, including two new bridges in barangays Balem and Quitanguil, were opened in December 2016 to segregate northbound and southbound motorists along separate carriageways and improve road safety.

“The new expressway projects support the government’s efforts to decongest Metro Manila by boosting Central Luzon with infrastructure that enable more efficient and faster transport of good and services,” NLEX president and chief executive Rodrigo Franco said.

Darwin G. Amojelar

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

PSE wants changes in rules over trading day suspension

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Philippine Stock Exchange plans to amend trading rules that will enable the local bourse to trade even on days when the clearing activities of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or Philippine Clearing House Corp. are suspended.

PSE issued the proposed amendment after the exchange suspended operations on Monday, following the decision of Malacañang Palace to suspend all classes and government work because of a nationwide transport strike.

Under PSE’s current trading rules, the exchange will trade every day except for Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, special holidays, days when the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is closed, and such other days as may be declared by the Securities and Exchange

Commissions or the exchange.

PSE uses the Philippine Payment and Settlement Systems of the BSP to facilitate the cash payments for cash purchases. Thus, it needs PhilPaSS to be operational and allow settlement to be completed.

“The exchange recognizes the global market dynamics in operating the country’s sole stock market. As such, it is important for the exchange to have the ability to allow investors to trade in the market and minimize situations where trading is suspended unexpectedly,” PSE said.

“However, the exchange also recognizes that the declaration of non-working days for government offices is a prerogative vested on government alone, even if such decision affects the ability of the PSE to open the market for its investors,” it said.

Market tops 8,500 points; MacroAsia, SMIC advance S TOCKS rose for a third day, pushing the benchmark index to a new record high Tuesday, amid optimism on the global economy and on expectations of strong third-quarter performance of listed companies.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index, the 30-company benchmark, climbed 49 points, or 0.6 percent, to close at 8,497.74 Tuesday. It hit an intra-day high of 8,586.73 in the afternoon, a new peak, before profit taking took place.

The heavier index, representing all shares, also advanced 18 points, or 0.4 percent, to settle at 4,956.13, on a value turnover of P11.8 billion. Losers outnum-

bered gainers, 121 to 88, while 42 issues were unchanged.

Thirteen of the 20 most active stocks ended in the green, led by aviation company MacroAsia Corp. which climbed 4.8 percent to P18. SM Investments Corp., the holding company of the Sy family, rose 2.9 percent to P980, while Security Bank Corp. went up 2.7 percent to P266.80.

Meanwhile, other Asian equities

edged up Tuesday as traders took a breather after recent strong gains, with more records on Wall Street unable to spur strong buying, but the dollar built on the previous day’s rally.

While optimism remains over the world economy and corporate earnings—helping push global markets to all-time or multi-month highs— investors moved carefully as they await the next catalyst.

New York’s three main indexes chalked up yet more fresh peaks on Monday thanks to a rally in banks and hopes that Donald Trump can still push through his economic agenda despite a series of setbacks for his legislative program.

Hong Kong was 0.1 percent up in

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2017

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 4.54 33,000 59.5 35,030 98 3,326,990 4 5,000 143.5 6,384,350 2.64 26,000,000 33.75 300,400 16.1 1,100 32.1 604,100 1.81 49,000 940 490 0.67 7,805,000 92 4,474,860 0.87 682,000 12.86 31,400 24.8 1,000 58.25 55,730 240 830 110 2,510 89.9 140 57.4 150,040 266.8 942,690 1,910 305 86.9 25,090

149,340 2,083,086 327,428,292.50 20,000 936,178,039 69,044,500 10,226,055 17,710 19,475,525 88,460 468,100 5,214,880 410,875,605.50 584,680 403,804 24,990 3,251,036.50 198,516 274,819 12,586 8,630,226 249,364,892 583,300 2,173,590.50

2,018,913 -139,515,084 28,352,879 -3,944,430 -2,019,740 -3,805,060 63,350 66,000 50,686,930 820 -541,247 109,848 -213,676.50 103,586,596 219,402.50

41.55 10.78 0.75 1.36 18.9 0.219 100.1 4.96 15.14 42.3 19 64 71 1.9 6.15 11.4 10.08 14.8 12.8 7.05 5.65 18.2 66 16 12.32 19.6 1.8 244.6 4.6 20.1 31.5 19.86 16.22 285 0.21 10.5 6.66 9.95 5.82 10 1.74 10.9 66 6.5 308 4.68 1.91 4.43 2.29 13.38 4.6 0.141 1.22 144.9 3.33 2.08 22.8 0.96

INDUSTRIAL 41.6 1,073,500 10.92 975,900 0.76 1,066,000 1.38 1,012,000 19.22 2,500 0.219 850,000 112 20 5 14,106,300 15.2 8,243,100 43.8 862,300 19 2,800 65 15,240 71.1 1,720 1.9 455,000 6.45 179,800 11.42 4,500 10.2 4,284,800 14.82 1,189,900 12.9 412,000 7.06 837,200 5.66 14,567,900 18.2 968,900 66 148,820 16.9 174,700 12.32 37,300 19.98 5,902,700 1.8 675,000 245 1,217,940 4.7 958,000 22.15 3,600 32.05 2,544,100 19.94 1,081,200 16.3 3,155,800 285 390,220 0.214 2,680,000 10.5 78,100 6.69 39,400 9.95 3,936,600 5.82 105,300 10 500 1.74 1,804,000 11.3 1,122,500 66.4 98,580 6.51 140,300 308 10,320 4.7 249,000 1.91 1,000 4.7 8,000 2.29 1,677,000 13.38 168,400 4.6 125,000 0.141 50,000 1.23 158,000 146 2,752,050 3.34 17,000 2.08 3,124,000 22.8 10,400 0.96 430,000

44,835,560 10,634,946 801,850 1,385,780 47,776 186,960 2,121 70,520,681 127,126,394 37,257,680 53,882 978,573.50 122,325 866,910 1,126,998 51,394 43,712,812 17,626,714 5,290,096 5,911,202 82,634,105 17,858,700 9,906,394.50 2,904,918 463,620 118,006,374 1,220,150 299,144,934 4,551,460 74,500 81,337,720 21,556,084 51,677,572 112,745,178 570,000 820,110 263,282 39,219,903 619,335 5,000 3,144,070 12,533,430 6,545,679 913,595 3,179,780 1,169,320 1,910 36,010 3,916,890 2,261,748 576,140 7,050 194,410 411,010,758 56,960 6,551,000 237,120 412,900

-3,130,135 -367,970 78,040 -8,488,076 92,755,426 6,297,870 605,514 9,500 34,200 -13,644,988 846,518 -2,843,686 -5,579,220 -51,555,903 -2,331,158 -3,078,387 -126,984 -38,681,797 82,860 16,377,428 89,320 14,034,970 18,177,084 -33,170,166 -7,780,208 -8,520 -13,332,139 469,900 235,828 1,840,171 625,880 -3,013,420 460,500 -1,910 -2,114,570 -303,194 34,000,423 10,500 -

0.35 75.45 16.66 1.06 6.96 0.425 0.425 1,097 8.5 16.4 7.8 5.1 0.197 1,258 8.1 78 4.99 5.42 0.86 5.88 17.6 0.385 6.94 0.054 1.64 2.1 2.65 101.2 2.58 991 1.45 300 0.275 0.205 0.212

0.34 74.15 16.2 1.05 6.94 0.41 0.415 1,068 8.37 16 7.5 5.1 0.197 1,222 8 75.75 4.99 5.42 0.83 5.79 17.28 0.385 6.87 0.049 1.28 2.05 2.65 99.9 2.58 956 1.43 282.2 0.27 0.189 0.204

HOLDING FIRMS 0.35 130,000 75 1,308,690 16.36 5,179,800 1.06 12,000 6.96 10,500 0.42 25,910,000 0.42 9,790,000 1,092 1,237,690 8.5 1,090,700 16 4,517,600 7.76 223,600 5.1 1,000 0.197 580,000 1,250 326,670 8 10,200 76.95 1,461,410 4.99 4,000 5.42 500 0.84 634,000 5.88 1,045,500 17.5 2,416,600 0.385 10,000 6.88 24,602,800 0.054 33,960,000 1.64 2,937,000 2.05 674,000 2.65 1,000 100.5 642,760 2.58 58,000 980 384,860 1.43 479,000 300 3,960 0.275 60,000 0.189 1,160,000 0.21 2,150,000

44,850 98,119,752 85,078,818 12,660 72,959 10,851,250 4,116,900 1,343,167,690 9,221,335 73,042,174 1,686,680 5,100 114,260 406,874,620 82,610 112,380,560 19,960 2,710 529,480 6,109,675 42,025,890 3,850 169,668,876 1,776,020 4,478,660 1,397,840 2,650 64,646,964 149,640 378,811,790 687,580 1,180,480 16,350 222,490 452,060

-23,091,200 -26,633,528 -167,500 396,277,405 2,243,585 3,085,098 164,732,835 52,583,256.50 2,965,826 -21,409,930 66,986,299 -4,240 -10,080 2,050 2,239,781 148,744,470 -

4.94 1.17 8.81 2.44 1.06 44 3.85 5.12 5.25 0.52 1.27 1.29 0.225 0.475 44 0.7 2.05 1.6 0.9 5.5 0.34 0.405 0.56 6.54

4.86 1.14 8.53 2.35 1.02 42.5 3.8 4.91 5.25 0.51 1.24 1.22 0.203 0.465 42 0.68 1.97 1.57 0.87 5.35 0.32 0.4 0.52 6.21

3,290,640 12,902,240 228,632 357,840 5,330,340 1,050,605,915 3,416,860 3,935,660 5,250 2,843,460 289,300 724,540 12,166,510 595,750 17,198,960 243,020 64,741,190 7,091,670 122,480 329,015,803 8,993,450 1,045,850 8,338,440 30,456,780

-2,173,030 -100,300 -70,500 -175,997,815 -538,300 -148,210 -40,600 31,550 18,500 544,490 3,717,870 -4,588,920 61,622,773 -318,550 16,200 196,810 66,082

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

4.51 50.4 98.6 4 144.1 2.73 34.5 16.1 32.25 1.76 960 0.69 91 0.83 12.86 25.5 58.6 240 109.1 89.9 57.6 260 1,920 86.7

4.54 59.75 99.7 4 149 2.86 34.5 16.1 32.5 1.81 960 0.69 92.3 0.88 12.86 25.5 58.6 240 110 89.9 58.1 268.2 1,920 86.9

4.51 50.4 97.6 4 143.5 2.41 33 16.1 32.1 1.76 940 0.65 91 0.82 12.86 24.8 58.25 238.8 109.1 89.9 56.8 260 1,910 86.5

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

42.35 10.96 0.77 1.38 19.32 0.22 100.1 5.02 15.3 42.3 19.1 65 71.2 1.9 6.2 11.68 10.08 14.82 12.9 7.08 5.71 18.56 66.5 16.98 12.54 20.35 1.85 246 5.05 20.15 31.5 19.86 16.44 290.8 0.219 10.5 6.66 9.99 5.87 10 1.75 11.3 66 6.69 309 4.68 1.91 4.47 2.48 13.52 4.6 0.141 1.3 150.4 3.45 2.14 22.8 0.96

42.4 10.98 0.77 1.38 19.34 0.225 112 5.07 15.58 43.8 20 65 72 1.93 6.45 11.68 10.28 14.84 12.92 7.1 5.75 18.56 67 16.98 12.54 20.35 1.88 249.2 5.05 22.15 32.1 19.98 16.62 292 0.219 10.52 6.7 10.04 6 10 1.76 11.32 66.8 6.69 309 4.71 1.91 4.7 2.48 13.56 4.75 0.141 1.3 150.5 3.45 2.14 22.8 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 FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT JOLLIVILLE HLDG KEPPEL HLDG B LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA PRIME ORION REPUBLIC GLASS SAN MIGUEL CORP SEAFRONT RES SM INVESTMENTS SOLID GROUP TOP FRONTIER UNIOIL HLDG WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

0.34 74.8 16.66 1.05 6.94 0.415 0.42 1,070 8.45 16.26 7.8 5.1 0.197 1,237 8.1 75.75 4.99 5.42 0.85 5.8 17.28 0.385 6.9 0.051 1.35 2.1 2.65 101 2.58 960 1.43 282.2 0.27 0.194 0.212

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 FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE IRC PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP

4.94 1.17 8.81 2.38 1.05 43.9 3.82 4.91 5.25 0.51 1.27 1.29 0.225 0.475 42.2 0.7 2.02 1.6 0.88 5.47 0.33 0.405 0.54 6.41

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

27 1.82 3.19 36.8 1.05 6.91 0.87 6.1

27 1.83 3.19 38 1.07 7.44 0.87 6.2

26.4 1.81 3.14 36.4 1.05 6.91 0.83 5.95

26.5 1.83 3.14 37.3 1.06 7.44 0.86 6.12

1,814,700 330,000 255,000 16,270,000 1,989,000 200 284,000 4,582,200

48,375,490 600,910 802,450 610,353,905 2,102,080 1,435 241,980 27,838,690

1,672,550 149,010 78,074,465 4,300 -2,098,304

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 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 PACIFIC ONLINE 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

19.8 40 1.62 0.54 0.051 10.98 5.07 10.3 0.071 110 9 9.6 7.25 2.14 2,060 6.02 20.35 2.26 2.8 105 8.4 0.157 1.36 3.28 15.82 4.29 1.25 17.44 0.56 2.81 7.1 4.23 17.04 2.3 11.1 5.05 174.5 9.08 1,641 1.44 0.395 52.8 98 6.28 4.13 1.62 4.01 1.05 8.09

20.2 40.1 1.7 0.55 0.051 10.98 5.08 10.62 0.073 112.6 9 9.63 7.59 2.14 2,080 6.02 21.5 2.28 2.8 106 8.4 0.158 1.41 3.35 15.82 4.29 1.27 18.18 0.6 2.85 7.2 4.23 17.8 2.3 11.1 5.08 175 9.18 1,704 1.44 0.4 53.75 98 6.28 4.41 1.62 4.1 1.06 8.1

19.64 39.85 1.61 0.54 0.047 10.98 5.07 10.28 0.07 108.5 8.7 9.39 7.25 2.1 2,050 5.97 20.3 2.1 2.8 103.5 8.34 0.156 1.36 3.1 15.82 4.12 1.23 17.4 0.55 2.8 6.95 4.1 17.02 2.28 11.1 5.04 168 8.8 1,641 1.42 0.395 52.15 97.4 6.11 4.13 1.59 3.99 0.95 7.97

SERVICES 19.82 39.85 1.7 0.54 0.049 10.98 5.08 10.5 0.07 112.6 8.71 9.4 7.59 2.1 2,060 6 21.3 2.23 2.8 103.5 8.36 0.158 1.4 3.32 15.82 4.15 1.25 18 0.6 2.81 7 4.11 17.8 2.29 11.1 5.04 175 8.8 1,666 1.43 0.395 52.2 97.4 6.2 4.16 1.6 4.08 1.06 7.98

86,100 173,500 253,000 3,577,000 175,250,000 15,000 3,900 30,934,200 46,820,000 177,010 2,900 3,390,000 6,700 9,000 103,090 1,105,400 310,200 16,307,000 16,000 954,430 412,500 3,660,000 135,000 467,000 400 488,000 746,000 8,534,900 329,000 253,000 3,381,100 1,172,000 3,200 1,511,000 1,000 12,000 14,310 1,926,600 125,340 13,404,000 2,030,000 2,246,450 1,181,450 86,100 5,263,000 18,000,000 1,756,000 27,900,000 5,411,300

1,700,146 6,933,565 409,640 1,932,490 8,482,370 164,700 19,777 325,181,418 3,295,320 19,837,902 25,938 32,132,523 49,613 19,160 212,812,070 6,632,903 6,512,590 35,614,340 44,800 99,898,964 3,461,342 572,020 187,750 1,522,260 6,328 2,029,430 932,550 152,205,966 183,180 709,850 23,752,683 4,849,300 55,908 3,448,320 11,100 60,570 2,497,940 17,239,360 210,002,125 19,268,140 803,100 117,712,330 115,313,808 533,955 22,441,330 28,803,650 7,088,550 28,299,940 43,319,344

3,832 64,800 165,900 -4,887,518 -34,790 15,045,905 5,400 -9,732,475 3,918,590 -17,040 -141,580 -895,659 -3,400 1,582 58,020 6,157,580 -3,249,134 -417,040 1,621,080.00 -5,050 2,319,650 551,860 9,491,860 615,920 -51,384,062 -41,776,222 342,970 5,526,980.00 -10,819,590 886,770 -21,020 -11,018,634.00

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

0.0025 1.85 5.2 15.14 1.9 1.88 1.51 0.375 8.2 2.55 0.26 0.199 0.202 0.011 1.85 7.1 1.73 0.54 1.02 0.012 0.012 0.011 2.53 8.07 9.15 44.25 0.0076

0.0026 1.85 5.22 16.86 2.01 1.89 1.58 0.375 8.29 2.65 0.265 0.2 0.206 0.011 1.9 7.21 1.74 0.54 1.04 0.012 0.012 0.012 2.53 8.08 9.32 44.6 0.0076

0.0024 1.75 5.12 15.14 1.9 1.88 1.5 0.375 8.2 2.51 0.26 0.19 0.202 0.01 1.85 6.89 1.68 0.51 1.02 0.012 0.012 0.011 2.45 7.91 9.08 43.5 0.0076

MINING & OIL 0.0025 482,000,000 1.76 14,782,000 5.2 1,040,800 16.86 2,700 1.97 29,000 1.88 55,000 1.58 2,245,000 0.375 280,000 8.29 1,100 2.6 2,447,000 0.265 70,000 0.192 35,460,000 0.202 4,280,000 0.01 200,000 1.87 453,000 6.9 9,516,900 1.73 26,000 0.51 130,000 1.03 245,000 0.012 2,100,000 0.012 122,300,000 0.011 141,000,000 2.52 106,000 7.98 448,400 9.15 5,921,000 43.5 4,815,700 0.0076 1,000,000

1,203,700 26,469,090 5,373,287 41,882 57,220 103,450 3,461,920 105,000 9,029 6,331,500 18,500 6,916,430 867,380 2,100 845,970 67,045,790 44,740 66,720 251,980 25,200 1,467,600 1,691,000 262,720 3,571,451 54,489,337 210,552,870 7,600

304,000 -1,423,278 -30,800 -72,800 197,880 6,716,491 -989,752 7,119,007 -80,221,875 -

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

39.95 539.5 107 106.5 107.9 115 5.72 1,050 1.06 108.1 1,146 1,016 105.1 75.5 81.25 77 81 77.15 78.2

39.95 540 107 106.5 107.9 115.1 5.74 1,050 1.06 108.1 1,146 1,018 106 75.5 81.4 77 81.5 77.15 79.5

38.1 537 107 106.4 107.9 115 5.67 1,030 1.06 108.1 1,146 1,011 105.1 75.5 81.25 77 81 76.65 78.2

PREFERRED 38.1 31,300 537 13,130 107 970 106.4 7,500 107.9 210 115.1 78,320 5.69 799,500 1,030 690 1.06 21,000 108.1 8,390 1,146 830 1,017 3,460 106 5,150 75.5 35,120 81.4 50,920 77 50 81 32,400 77.1 920 79.5 150,750

1,219,275 7,069,870 103,790 798,034 22,659 9,007,632 4,564,710 714,500 22,260 906,959 951,180 3,515,885 545,891 2,651,560 4,139,255 3,850 2,635,400 70,649.50 11,948,875

224,960.00 10,800 -4,115,190 -2,651,560 -812,500 8,745,000

LR WARRANT

2.47

2.49

2.4

WARRANTS 2.45 112,000

272,280

-

17,436,970 548,170 789,850 3,272,059

-73,683 -376,027

3,638,975

15,888

236,646

-

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 4.9 1.16 8.53 2.35 1.03 42.5 3.84 4.95 5.25 0.52 1.24 1.24 0.203 0.47 42 0.68 1.97 1.59 0.9 5.46 0.32 0.4 0.53 6.54

673,000 11,203,000 26,800 151,000 5,164,000 24,146,000 894,000 793,000 1,000 5,545,000 231,000 587,000 57,930,000 1,270,000 402,800 353,000 32,308,000 4,476,000 140,000 60,336,100 27,480,000 2,610,000 15,455,000 4,806,300

ITALPINAS MAKATI FINANCE PHILAB HLDG XURPAS

5.1 2.87 4.51 5.62

5.71 2.87 4.83 5.62

5.1 2.87 4.49 5.54

FIRST METRO ETF

127.9

129.9

127.9

USD DMPL A1

10.76

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

10.9

SHARES

50,911,820

INDUSTRIAL

119,087,476

HOLDING FIRMS

123,757,910

PROPERTY

282,552,106

SERVICES

386,944,569

MINING & OIL

831,753,571

GRAND TOTAL

1,799,194,523

10.76

5.55 2.87 4.5 5.55

SME

3,204,600 191,000 173,000 588,100

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 129.4 28,180 10.9

DDS

21,940

VALUE 2,071.36 (UP) 6.94 2,046,842,506.50 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,977.37 (DOWN) 84.43 2,030,897,337.632 HOLDING FIRMS 8,777.40 (UP) 142.77 3,316,572,891.654 PROPERTY 3,954.33 (DOWN) 0.41 1,707.38 (UP) 5.78 2,255,258,925.425 SERVICES MINING & OIL 13,547.72 (DOWN) 126.50 1,697,128,179.22 PSEI 8,497.74 (UP) 49.80 391,335,316.084 All Shares Index 4,958.53 (UP) 20.42 11,763,729,621.64 Gainers: 88; Losers: 121; Unchanged: 42; Total: 251

the afternoon after three days of gains, but Shanghai slipped 0.2 percent with eyes turning to Thursday’s release of Chinese economic growth data.

The readings will come a day after the country’s leadership starts its twice-adecade meeting of the Communist Party. President Xi Jinping is set to be handed a second term, while changes to several key party leadership positions are expected.

Tokyo rose 0.4 percent, an 11th straight gain, to put the Nikkei at a new 21-year high.

Sydney was up 0.7 percent on a bounce in commodity prices, Seoul added 0.2 percent and Singapore lifted 0.3 percent. Manila piled on 1.6 percent but Taipei, Bangkok and Jakarta were all lower.

In early European trade London was flat, Paris rose 0.12 percent and Frankfurt dipped 0.1 percent.

On currency markets the dollar extended Monday’s gains against the euro following comments from Federal Reserve boss Janet Yellen hinting at a further interest rate rise this year, while dealers fret over Spain’s Catalonia crisis.

With AFP, Bloomberg

Meralco’s power sales increased 7% in 3rd quarter

By Alena Mae S. Flores POWER retailer Manila Electric Co. said third-quarter electricity sales likely increased between 6 percent and 7 percent from a year ago, on higher demand from all customer groups.

“I think this quarter, July to September, we’ve been running around 6 [percent] to 7 percent. You see it in all the all sectors―commercial, industrial and residential,” Meralco president Oscar Reyes said.

Reyes said the economy showed strong growth this year, reflecting the increase in power demand during the period.

“I think the economy is [showing] higher, sustainable trajectory of growth.

That higher trajectory of growth of 6.5 percent plus is reflecting demand of residential consumers, business and industry,” he said.

“If you go around even in Metro Manila, you’ll see quite a number of developments―hotels, restaurants, real estate, retail trade, entertainment. Semicon [semiconductor industry] is doing well. Basic metals are doing well, [so are] food and beverage,” Reyes said.

He said while first-quarter sales were “very soft,” they gained momentum in the second quarter.

Reyes, however, said the third-quarter sales growth would be slower compared to more than 7-percent increase registered in the same period last year.

“We have to recognize that last year was a high base year,” he said.

Meralco expects full-year sales growth to reach around 4.5 percent or slightly higher, dragged only by lower first-quarter sales.

“We hope fourth-quarter [sales] will continue to be healthy,” Reyes said.

Meralco posted a 9-percent sales growth in the nine month period last year, because of the hot temperature caused by El Niño weather phenomenon and electionrelated spending.

Meralco, which has over six million customers in its franchise area, reported total electricity sales of 40,132 gigawatt-hours in 2016.

Business

B3

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017 extrastory2000@gmail.com

British inflation rate jumps to 5-year high

SOLAIRE PARTNER. Solaire Resort & Casino is teaming up with Philippine Airlines’ Mabuhay Miles program. Solaire Rewards members can now earn Mabuhay Miles as they enjoy the pleasures of Solaire. With every Solaire Rewards status point, a member can earn up to 1 Mabuhay Mile. Sealing the partnership deal are (from left) Kevin Hartigan-Go, PAL vice president for ancillary business; Stewart Lim, PAL executive VP and treasury and chief administrative officer; Jaime Bautista, PAL chief executive officer; Thomas Arasi, Solaire president and chief operating officer; Cyrus Sherafat, Solaire senior VP for casino marketing; and Rajesh Jhingon, Solaire SVP for resort operations.

LONDON—Britain’s annual inflation rate accelerated in September to the highest level in more than five years, lifted by rising commodity, food and transport prices, official data showed Tuesday.

Inflation has risen sharply this year as the Brexithit pound ramped up import costs, placing household budgets under intense strain as wage growth fails to keep pace with rising consumer prices.

The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) 12-month rate climbed to 3.0 percent last month compared to 2.9 percent in August, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed in a statement.

“The main contributors to the increase in the rate were rising prices for food and recreational goods, along with transport costs, which fell by less than they did a year ago,” the ONS said.

Key factors were rising commodity prices and the ongoing impact of the weaker pound, which tumbled in value following last year’s shock EU exit referendum.

“The inflation rate for a range of goods has... picked up since the start of the year and the overall rate in the UK is higher than in most other EU countries, including all of the larger western European nations,” the ONS said.

“Depreciation may have influenced this but increasing global commodity prices could also be a factor.”AFP

Calata rejects tender offer advice

By Jenniffer B. Austria

alata Corp. has rejected the proposal of the Philippine Stock Exchange to conduct a tender offer to small shareholders, saying the move will “kill the company.”

C

Calata said in an open letter to shareholders the company was not capable of conducting a tender offer to small shareholders because of insufficient retained earnings to cover the buyback of shares.

Calata as of end 2016 has only has around P400 million in retained earnings, or below the P1 billion it will need in order to conduct a tender offer to all small shareholders.

“Given the current legal

limitation and financial limitation on the retained earnings of the company, it was repeatedly relayed that a tender offer will not only kill the company, but also, it will not ensure that shareholders will be properly and sufficiently compensated as its creditor banks will surely exhaust the company’s cash as preferred creditors before allowing the company to use its money for the tender offer,” Calata said.

The PSE on Monday rejected the proposal

of Calata to sell out to Millennium Global Holdings Inc. and spin off its assets to privately-held Agriphil Corp. in a bid to save the agriculture firm from being delisted from the stock exchange and protect minority shareholders.

Instead of a selling out to Millennium Global, the PSE wants to give Calata an opportunity to conduct voluntary delisting on the condition that Calata will conduct a tender offer to small shareholders.

Calata noted that a tender

decades,” Calata said.

“Thousands of families are depending on the business which include not only its employees but hundreds of thousands of farmers and dealers who very much depend their livelihood on the business. This does not mean however, that the person responsible should go unpunished. It is simply stated that the tender offer being forced upon the company is not a winwin solution after all,” the company added.

Calata said the sellout to Millennium Global remained the best solution for the small shareholders of the company.

“With the acquisition, the public shareholders in the “new” Calata Corporation will have new management, a new and promising business and a new hope that their investment will be recovered. Instead of meeting a dead end, the investment made from hard earned money is given a fighting chance to grow and yield profit,” Calata said.

Kirkuk clash boosts oil prices

2 Smart platforms receive awards TWO programs of PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. recently received awards from the International Public Relations Association for meeting global standards of excellence.

At the Golden World Awards ceremony held in Bulgaria, Smart won in the healthcare category for SHINE OS+ (Secured Health Information Network and Exchange) and in the event management category for TNT Super Panalo Day. Other GWA awardees included companies from the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Australia and the United States. Established in 1990, the GWA is organized annually by the IPRA, a professional association for senior international PR executives.

SHINE OS+ is an electronic medical record and referral system run

by Smart and the Ateneo Java Wireless Competency Center. Launched in 2011, it enables public health facilities in Cebu, Iloilo, and Quezon City to retrieve patient records with a few clicks on a laptop, refer patients to better-equipped health facilities electronically, and remind patients of appointments and medication via SMS. Furthermore, SHINE OS+ allows these health facilities to submit relevant patient information to Philippine Health Insurance Corp. for faster processing of claims and health statistics.

Being an open-source platform, SHINE OS+ allows developers from anywhere in the country and the world to create additional features that can fill more gaps in the health sector. It does this while keeping patient records private.

offer could have an effect of liquidating the whole company given the large public float currently at 73.15 percent.

“To liquidate the company just because the Philippine Stock Exchange wants a tender offer is not only impractical but grossly unfair. It is unfair simply because a regulatory violation by a single shareholder should not be a justification to kill a legitimate business which has been profitably operating for the past

EASTWEST AWARD. East West Banking Corp. is awarded the Auto Loan Product of the Year at The Asian Banker Philippine Country Awards 2017 held at the Fairmont Hotel in Makati City. EastWest senior executive vice president and consumer lending head Jacqueline Fernandez (third from right) holds the bank’s award plaque from The Asian Banker. With her are (from left) The Asian Banker senior research manager Neeti Aggarwal, EastWest first VP and consumer lending marketing and business operations head Alessandro Villaraza, EastWest VP and auto loan sales head Jocelyn Legaspi, The Asian Banker international resource director Richard Hartung, EastWest president Roberto Reyes and The Asian Banker managing director Foo Boon Ping.

RISING tensions in Opec’s second-biggest producer as Iraq’s government violently clashes with the semi-autonomous Kurdish region are sustaining oil’s gains, for now.

Fighting in Kirkuk, home to Iraq’s oldest-producing fields, has shut production from two deposits that pump a combined 275,000 barrels a day. While that’s relatively small in the global market―it’s just 3 percent of what top importer China bought last month― the prospect of continued disruptions is helping keep futures in London near $58 a barrel. Investors are also being encouraged by signs of shrinking US stockpiles and output curbs by Opec and its allies.

“Oil prices are currently reacting to the growing conflict in Opec’s secondbiggest producer,” Ahn Yea Ha, a commodities analyst

at Kiwoom Securities Co., said by phone in Seoul.

“These geopolitical risks further support the lower end of oil prices at a time when compliance with crude-output curbs by the Opec members is kept at a high level.”

Still, there are signs that the rally is fragile.

While crude prices jumped on Monday as the Iraqi government in Baghdad escalated its efforts to prevent a Kurdish state in the country’s north, oil was little changed on Tuesday. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is seen needing to continue its output curbs beyond the first quarter of 2018, while US shale supplies may prevent inventories from dropping further.

Brent for December settlement was at $57.73 a barrel on the London-

based ICE Futures Europe exchange, down 9 cents, at 3:13 p.m. Singapore time. The contract gained 65 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $57.82 a barrel on Monday.

The global benchmark crude traded at a premium of $5.73 to December WTI. West Texas Intermediate for November delivery was at $51.74 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, down 13 cents.

Prices climbed 42 cents to $51.87 on Monday. Total volume traded was 45 percent below the 100-day average.

The Kurdish KAR Group stopped pumping crude at the Avana and Bai Hassan deposits in Kirkuk after technicians failed to report for work and some security guards left amid fighting, an official at the central government-run North Oil Co. said Monday.

Bloomberg

Toys ‘R’ Us mulls over options, HK public offering for $2-b Asian unit TOYS “R” Us Inc., the retailer that filed for bankruptcy in North America, has been exploring options for its growing Asian business including a potential initial public offering, people with knowledge of the matter said.

The US chain and its local joint venture partner, the billionaire Fung brothers, have been speaking with investment banks to study the feasibility of listing the Asian business on the Hong Kong bourse, according to the people. A deal could value the unit at as much as $2 billion, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private.

Toys “R” Us and some of its North American subsidiaries filed for bankruptcy last month, though its Asian unit wasn’t included in the proceedings. Deliberations are at an early stage, and Toys “R” Us hasn’t decided which path to pursue, the people said. Toys “R” Us owns about 85 percent of the Asian venture while Fung Group, the private holding company of Hong Kong businessmen Victor and William Fung, holds the remainder.

The ongoing bankruptcy could make a listing more complicated and harder to market to investors. Still, an IPO of the Asian unit would allow Toys “R” Us’s private-equity owners to recoup

some of their investment by selling shares in a business that’s still doing well.

Toys “R” Us dominates the $20.7-billion Asia Pacific market for traditional toys and games, according to consultancy Euromonitor International. It had a 20 percent share of last year’s sales of dolls, action figures, puzzles and other similar products that lack a video-game component. Its closest competitor in the region had a 1.4 percent share, the Euromonitor data show.

Japan, Southeast Asia Growth in Asia Pacific helped offset weaker sales in the US and Europe in the quarter ended April 29, Toys “R” Us said in June. Earlier this year, the company combined its Japanese business with a joint venture running stores in greater China and Southeast Asia. The merged business operates more than 400 outlets, according to its website.

The toy retailer’s owners had initially discussed the feasibility of listing the Asian business as early as 2018, but some parties view that timeline as too ambitious because of the complexities related to the bankruptcy proceedings in the US, the people said.

Representatives for Toys “R” Us and its owners, KKR & Co., Bain Capital and Vor-

Manila

Standard

TODAY

nado Realty Trust, declined to comment.

A spokeswoman for Fung Group also declined to comment.

KKR, Bain and Vornado acquired Toys “R” Us in a $7.5-billion leveraged buyout in 2005. They stand to have their investment erased as the retailer, which has 1,600 stores across dozens of countries, seeks bankruptcy protection after competition from online rivals and price wars made it difficult for the company to service its debt. KKR and Vornado had previously written their investments

in the company down to zero.

Toys “R” Us Asia was set up in 1986.

Local partner Fung Group is also the biggest shareholder in Li & Fung Ltd., a supplier to US retailers including Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Bloomberg

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF STATE Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late ANGELITO CALUZA DE GUZMAN was extrajudicially settled by and among his heirs as per affidavit executed on January 30, 2017 and entered as Doc. No. 301, Page No. 62, Book No. 116 Series of 2017 of the notarial registry of Atty.

Mary Jean R. BernabeTonco, a notary public in Santa Maria and for the Province of Bulacan.

(MS-OCT. 4,11 & 18, 2017)

Quezon City adds 4m square meters of rich real estate

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

B4

wednesday, october 18, 2017

By Rio N. Araja

LGUs LOCaL GOvernmenT uniTS

HARVEST ART. A local artist in Malate, Manila applies the finishing touches on his canvas painting portraying the rice harvesting season, which he will then sell for P1,800 to P2,000. Lino Santos

PDP flexes Quezon muscle

Breast milk drive works for Taguig

By Benjie A. Antioquia

L

UCENA CITY—The administration Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan party strengthened its mass base in Quezon province and pushed its promotion of federalism as it conducted a basic membership seminar and mass oathtaking at the Quezon Convention Center here.

By Joel E. Zurbano A TOTAL of 243 mothers in Taguig City have benefited from the Free Breast Milk program since the local government and Taguig-Pateros District Hospital launched the project in 2015.

One of them is 23-yearold Mehara Padjing, who recounted her experience to Manila Standard on Tuesday.

“My child was born premature so he was put there, at the intensive care unit. The doctors explained that the IV placed in his body would cause a decrease in his blood sugar, which meant he would have a hard time digesting formula milk. So, we really had to find human breast milk,” she recalled.

Padjing was about to lose hope when some hospital personnel approached and told her about the facility’s human milk bank and its accompanying program for mothers.

She was told that under the program, non-lactating mothers of infants who were in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or the Premature Pathologic Neonatal Unit could avail of the breast milk from the bank for free.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez led PDP-Laban leaders as the party welcomed delegations of city, municipal and

barangay officials from the 39 municipalities and two cities of the province along with 8,000 other participants from across Quezon.

Aguirre leads the PDP-

Laban Quezon council as its president, with former Quezon governor Eduardo Rodriguez as second vice president. Other officials of the party’s provincial council are Atty. Giovanni Lim, first vice president; businessman Francis Dy, treasurer; Engr.

Rodolfo Aguirre, assistant treasurer; businessman Alex Yu, auditor; San Narciso mayor Florabelle Uy-Yap, secretary general; Dr. Pat Andaman, public relations officer; Kristine Aguirre-Adao, head, committee on membership;

Michael Tañada, assistant head, committee on membership; Councilor Carlo Eleazar, head, committee on arbitration; PCA director Edicio dela Torre, head, committee on training and education; businessman Allan Yap, head, committee on finance; and Atty.

Francis Sia, legal adviser.

Through a presentation, lawyer Raul Lambino, PDP-Laban secretary general, briefed the participants about how federalism will introduce real change in governance from a cen-

MANILA Mayor Joseph Estrada ordered on Tuesday the revitalization of anti-drug abuse councils in the 896 barangays of the city, especially those that have been inactive and not functioning well, in his “urgent desire”

tralized unitary-presidential form to decentralized regional governments.

Lambino said there would be 11 states in the country “once the federal system is approved by the people,” and Quezon province will be under the regional state of Southern Tagalog.

Aguirre and Alvarez were accompanied by Reps. Karlo Nograles and Ace Barbers, former Metro Manila traffic boss Francis Tolentino, Quezon 1st District Rep. Trina Enverga and 3rd District Rep. Helen Tan.

San Narciso Mayor Florabelle Uy-Yap, secretary general of PDP-Laban Quezon council, cited Aguirre as the “unifying force” of the party in the province.

Lucena City Mayor Roderick Alcala and Lucban Mayor Celso Olivier Dator were among local officials who attended the event. Absent from the gathering were Quezon Gov. David “Jayjay” Suarez, House Minority Floor Leader and Quezon 3rd District Rep. Danilo Suarez, and 2nd District Rep. Vicente “Kulit” Alcala.

In BrIef GenTri execs, staff take snap drug test

‘ANGKING GALING.’ The Technical Education Skills and Development Authority and the Metro Manila Mayor’s Spouses

Foundation has launched ‘Angking Galing,’ a livelihood training workshop on wellness and beauty care for out of school youths and idle young mothers in the metropolis. At the program launch in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday were (from left, first row) mayors’ spouses Eva Nono, Melissa Oreta, Foundation president Janet Olivarez, Ricky Reyes, Mandaluyong Mayor Menchie Abalos, Tesda Secretary Guiling Mamondiong, Ruby Mamondiong, Edna Calixto, Maribel Eusebio, NCR Tesda Director Cenon Querubin, and city councilors and barangay captains of Mandaluyong. Manny Palmero

Estrada wants Manila barangay anti-drug councils revitalized

By Bill Casas

QUEZON City’s Department of Building Official has approved a total of 2,566 building permits from 2016 to August 2017, resulting in an additional built-up area of almost four million square meters.

“These escalating values represent big gains for the city’s real property owners, lessors and developers. These also indicate how land in Quezon City is being engaged for greater productivity,” Mayor Herbert Bautista said Tuesday.

The projected real-estate values of the new developments reached P45.25 billion, Bautista noted.

Because of the new construction activities in 2016 and 2017, direct labor managed to hire 150,854 people, while the upstream activities of site preparation, planning and design had provided employment opportunities for 27,154 architects, engineers and urban planners.

“When you add up the four million square meters being cleared or repurposed for new residential and commercial developments to the more than 180,000 square meters being transformed for socialized housing communities, you will realize that 4.18 million square meters are now being cleared of urban blight and underutilization,” Bautista said during Monday’s State-of-the-City Address.

to make Manila the first ever drug-free city in the country.

Estrada made the move in the wake of President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent decision to turn over the government’s anti-drug war to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency amid allegations of abuse against the

Philippine National Police.

While each of the 896 barangays in the city already has an organized Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council or BADAC, Estrada noted that at least half have not been satisfactorily performing their tasks to curb illegal drugs in their jurisdictions.

“We need to reorient, revitalize, or re-strengthen our BADACs if we want to achieve a 100 percent drug-free city,” Estrada stressed. “We cannot do that if not all the barangays are cooperating.”

Estrada is targeting to declare as “drug-free” at least 50

percent of the city’s 896 barangays, saying the barangay drug-clearing operation of the city government is well on its way to achieving its target of 424 barangays on or before the end of December.

In Manila, 24 barangays have so far been officially declared drug-free this July.

CagVal set to receive 7 Gawad Saka awards BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Cagayan Valley is set to receive seven awards this month in the 2017 Gawad Saka Awards of the Department of Agriculture.

Narciso Edillo, DA regional director for Cagayan Valley, said the awards are Outstanding Corn Farmer - Felix Ancheta of barangay Buena Suerte in Cauayan City, Isabela; Outstanding Sugarcane Farmer-Richard Biraquit of barangay Sto. Domingo in Piat, Cagayan; Outstanding Small Animal Raiser-Wilfredo Britanico of barangay Saranay in

Cabatuan, Isabela; Outstanding Large Animal Raiser-Charlemagne Acierto of barangay Sampaloc in Cabatuan, Isabela: Outstanding Rural Improvement Club-Sto. Domingo RIC of barangay Sto. Domingo in Alicia, Isabela; Outstanding Fisherfolk Culture-Vivian Taniza of barangay Victoria in San Mateo, Isabela and Outstanding Municipal/City Agricultural and Fisheries Council (FARMC)Gonzaga Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources MultiPurpose Cooperative in Gonzaga, Cagayan. Ben Moses Ebreo

GENERAL TRIAS CITY—As part of the National Government’s campaign against illegal drugs, officials and government employees of this city recently took a surprise drug examination.

Mayor Antonio “Ony” Ferrer, who also had himself tested, said 13 officials and 730 employees of the city were instructed to participate in the drug testing conducted by Alana’s Care Laboratories and Diagnostic Center, Inc. Vice Mayor Morit Sison and the city councilors were part of the group.

Urine samples were taken from the participants, city Human Resource Department head Dennise Columna said. The activity “is part of the local government’s contribution to cleanse the locality from the proliferation of illegal drugs,” he added.

The random drug test is compliance with the Civil Service Commission order pursuant to the mandate of the 1987 Constitution and Administrative Code of 1987 to ensure the morale, efficiency, integrity, responsiveness, progressiveness and courtesy for drug free public office, Ferrer noted.

All employees and officials who will test positive will be properly sanctions as ordered by law.

Caloocan moves 100 families for Skyway THE Caloocan City government has assisted more than 100 families affected by the construction of NLEX-SLEX Connector Skyway in the city and transferred them to their new homes.

According to the Urban Poor Affairs Office, 25 families from Barangay 56 were moved out on Oct. 5, followed by 36 in Oct. 11 and 60 more from Barangay 49 last Oct. 12.

Most of the affected families were transferred to their new homes in a National Housing Authority relocation site in Norzagaray, Bulacan, while the rest were taken to a condo-type relocation project of the city government.

According to Mayor Oscar Malapitan, the relocated families went through several briefings and processes.

The national government also aided their transfer to their new homes, he added.

The P23.3-billion NLEX -SLEX Connector Skyway is an eight-kilometer, four-lane project of the Department of Public Works and Highways that will connect the two expressways to shorten travel time going to the north of Metro Manila coming from the south. The project is expected to be completed by 2020. Jun David

Ombudsman clears officials in hotel case

SALUTE. Calabarzon police director Chief Supr. Ma. O R Aplasca (right) hands a plaque of commendation to Lt. Col. Randolf G. Cabangbang, commander of the 80th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, for the ‘effort, outstanding service, efficiency and effectiveness’ in carrying out the task that contributed to the successful attainment of the overall accomplishments of the Police Regional Office on Tuesday. Roy Tomandao

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed criminal complaints against current and former officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and other private individuals regarding the takeover of the management of a hotel here.

Upon the recommendation of Zarnette Sanceda, graft investigation and prosecution officer, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales approved the dismissal of criminal complaints filed by the Subic-based company Freeport Elite Resort Inc. (FERI) against former SBMA officials Chairman Roberto Garcia, Deputy Administrator for Legal Affairs Randy Escolango, Legal Department manager Von Rodriguez, Law Enforcement Department chief Orlando Maddela, and current SBMA Deputy Administrator for Administration Ruel John Kabigting. Butch Gunio

Life

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

fashion & beauty

wednesday, octoBeR 18, 2017

c1

Diamond

I

T SeeMS this sentence reminds many of us, at least those familiar with the James Bond films with Sean Connery as Agent 007, of the song sung by Shirley Bassey in the film of the same title in 1971.

is forever

BRILLIANT. Entertainment executive Charo Santos’ numerous career and personal achievements make her the perfect face and spokesperson for My Diamond’s newest campaign ‘Choosing True Brilliance.’

Meanwhile, Charo Santos fondly recalls her first major purchase as Baron Travel Girl in the late ‘70s when she traveled around the world. “Before I thought of owning a car, I thought of owning a diamond!” says the awardwinning actress and entertainment executive. “I thought that a diamond was something I could keep forever.”

Over the years, Charo has learned more about diamonds and jewelry, which makes her the ideal choice as the newest face of My Diamond. Her numerous career and personal achievements make

Charo the perfect spokesperson for My Diamond’s newest campaign, “Choosing True Brilliance.” And Charo has plenty of brilliant advice for girls hoping to get their first piece of diamond jewelry.

Charo says the experience, while very personal, is empowering.

“You can’t make a mistake with simple studs,” she says. “Personally, I go for earrings for everyday wear – it’s simple and classic.” With her low-key and down-toearth personality, she wears more fabulous pieces only during special occasions, like the Star Magic Ball.

Charo says diamonds are more than fashion accessories. “Diamonds can inspire us women to work harder and they can give us a sense of security.”

The gems are to be kept and cherished. Says Charo, “Diamonds appreciate in value over time. They’re smart investments and can be heirlooms.”

But more than anything else, buying your own diamond is all about rewarding and loving yourself. “Owning a diamond makes you feel good about yourself like the best friendship, it lasts forever through thick and thin.”

Cartier’s

14K White Gold Heart Shaped Diamond Halo Stud Earrings

14K White Gold Cluster Earrings

Michael Kors presents his take on draped dresses and tailored coats, among others, in his Fall 2017 collection.

‘Juste Un Clou’ CreATeD by Aldo Cipullo for Cartier New York in the ‘70s, the Juste Un Clou bracelet continues to make a powerful statement. Cipullo’s outrageous appropriation of the nail as jewelry echoed the anti-conformist sentiment of the era. And now, this humble yet edgy piece of hardware reinvented by Cartier has been hammered into a necklace.

The Juste Un Clou Torque brings the finishing touch to a versatile collection that features an oversized bracelet and a necklace either tinted in yellow gold, pink gold, or white gold or paved with diamonds. The pieces magnify the precious qualities of everyday objects with a sophisticated take on the ordinary.

In the Philippines, Cartier is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. and is located at Greenbelt 4, rustan’s ShangriLa and Newport resorts World.

Juste Un Clou bracelet

Follow @ssilifeph on Instagram for more information.

Adolfo Dominguez revisits brand classics for Fall/Winter 2018 THe Autumn/Winter ‘18 collection of designer Adolfo Dominguez revisits the brand’s classics: loose, unstructured shapes that are comfortable as well as flattering. Designer solutions put in a strong appearance, including solid funnel necks, and kimono sleeves. removable outer layers for up to four

different looks. We’re breathing new life into classic english tailoring in Prince of Wales and houndstooth checks. Colors are centered around blue, gray and khaki; as simple as they are solid.

Adolfo Dominguez is exclusively available at Rustan’s Makati and Rustan’s Shangri-La

Adolfo Dominguez’s latest collection features items in simple but solid colors of blue, gray, and khaki.

What’s in Michael Kors Fall 2017 collection SeNSuAL strength—the Michael Kors woman juxtaposes softly draped dresses, skirts and blouses with powerfully tailored coats, jackets and trousers. The strong shoulder and defined waist are emphasized. Covered-up sexiness exudes in the leg revealed through wrapping, slits and slashes. urban takes on languid kimonos and sarongs, the seductive allure of fringe, the gleam of molten silver and gold in liquid lame, grommets and paillettes, abstracted animal motifs from leopard to cheetah to python. The soft, crushable bag…the crisp city portfolio…architectural heels on choked pumps, slouchy boots and strappy sandals…tones of gray from banker to charcoal…rich accents of merlot and magnolia…the sleek chic of

black…warm shades of camel, cream, saddle, chocolate and olive. The Kors man mixes sharp tailoring with utilitarian hardware and military strength: the strong-shouldered captain’s coat and peacoat, the neatly tailored doublebreasted jacket, the lean pleated trouser and oversized jean, the big city puffer, the streamlined messenger bag and sleek backpack.

In the Philippines, Michael Kors is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc., and is located at Central Square in Bonifacio High Street Central, Greenbelt 5, Newport Mall, Power Plant Mall, rustan’s Makati and Shangri-La Plaza.

Follow @ssilifeph on Instagram for more information.

Life

C2

wednesday, october 18, 2017 isahred@gmail.com

F

reedom of movement, smoother form, and utmost comfort. Sm Woman presents denim for a woman that’s in step with the beat of everyday wear: the Sm Woman Premium denim HyperForm series.

Finally, there’s denim that’s designed for action made from denim that’s soft, flexible and moves with your body with styles for women and their movements — from yoga and plana forma to office work, a night out in the city and so much more.

There’s the HyperForm Shapewear, flaw-erasing jeans for a sexy figure, slims thighs, and contours the backside. Flattering looks for extra confidence.

Then, there’s Hyperfree, with its relaxed fit that gives an extra oomph that’s ideal for that leisurely stroll.

Lastly, there’s jog sculpt that’s designed for the ultimate in flexibility, the perfect fit for those on the go.

And to mark the introduction of the Sm Woman Premium denim HyperForm series, Sm Woman, presents an all-new campaign that features the belles of Ballet manila – Katherine Barkman, Rissa Marie Camaclang, and Joan Emery Sia – as they appear in a sensational and moving (in a literal sense) video that celebrates fluidity of form and liberation, attributes that make the Sm Woman Premium denim HyperForm series a true revolution in everyday fashion. Watch the video here: https://www.facebook.com/SmWoman/ videos/652903991579855/. Concept and direction by Quintin Cu-Unjieng and Dominic Bekaert.

Indeed, Sm Woman Premium denim HyperForm series is sculpted for a woman like you—strong, practical, independent, and truly fashion-forward—offering enviable style for the daily grind.

To know more about SM Woman, visit www.thesmstore.com, their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/SMWoman and Instagram, www.instagram.com/smwoman.

evolution in denim for everyday wear Ballet Manila’s Rissa Camaclang in SM Woman Premium Denim HyperForm Hyperfree

Katherine Barkman in HyperForm Shapewear

John Herrera’s digitally printed Spring/Summer 2018 collection ePSon Philippines partners with award-winning designer John Herrera in creating “Armada” — a 30-piece apparel for women for his Spring/Summer 2018 collection. The newest John Herrera creation was globally presented during Fashion Scout last month, the international showcase for fashion pioneers and UK’s largest independent showcase for emerging and established design talent during the 2017 London Fashion Week.

Fresh off his win as Britain’s Top designer 2017 (BTd) at the fifth season of fashion’s finest event for emerging talent in British fashion for his “Aguila” collection, his first collaboration with epson, Herrera delves back into history and Philippine pride in creating these new digitally-printed masterpieces.

Before heading to London for Fashion Scout, John Herrera was sent off by epson Philippines in TWG Tea Salon & Boutique in the east Wing of edSA Shangri-La Plaza. Special guests and close friends of John Herrera, as well as invitees from the Philippine lifestyle media were able to show their support and send their well wishes as he show-

cases his newest collection, Armada.

“The inspiration for the Armada collection came from the very first map in history that included the Philippine islands. This map by Diogo Ribeiro shows the world circa 1529. With the help of epson’s digital textile printing technology, I was able to render parts of this medieval map and present designs on opaque and translucent fabrics. The combination of sheer and stiff materials with soft fabrics create new silhouettes will remind us of sailing to new worlds,” explains John Herrera.

In a nod to the Spanish colonial heritage, Herrera also enhanced the collection by integrating in the design elements of costume and fashion from the era of King Phillip of Spain, the monarch whom the country was named after. Hues of sepia and brown were combined in the digitally printed fabrics to infuse the feel and look of this historic time.

“This is the second time that John Herrera has tapped epson’s digital textile printing technologies to create a totally different concept in fashion and design, and we are very happy to col-

laborate with him once again.

As the brand ambassador of epson Philippines’ Professional Printers Group, he has truly given us the world’s attention with his ingenious marriage of art and technology. This latest collection called “Armada” is John’s avantgarde take on our history and roots; a creation that we are confident will put the Philippines on the map once again,” said Ed Bonoan, senior general manager and marketing head, epson Philippines. epson’s digital textile printing technology enables designers to achieve their artistic vision with advanced technology that understands the intricacies of fabric and design. With this innovation, world-class designers like John Herrera, have successfully translated their vision onto high quality digital textile prints driven by epson’s PrecisionCore printhead technology, one of the fastest inkjet delivery technologies in the world. Its print nozzles deliver ultra-precise control of ink droplets for superior image sharpness across a wide range of ink and media, producing outstandingly vivid and unique prints.

John Herrera’s Armada collection is inspired by the very first map in history, made by Diogo Ribeiro, that included the Philippine islands.

Make Up Factory’s Lip Secrets collection that cares for your puckers

The secret to irresistibly luscious lips PrePAre, Care and Boost – these are the three secrets to irresistible lips. Soft and delicate lips look sensual and appealing. especially professional high pigment lipsticks reveal their full beautifying effect on smooth, even lips. In order to create the perfect lips for every woman, make-up artists use various products.

These products can all be found in the new make Up Factory collection “Lip Secrets” and they guarantee amazing results. Whether a soft lip peeling, beautifying primer, caring oils, filling or stimulating volume boost – get excited with all these special new lip products made with the highest quality ingredients.

Prepare your lips for professional lip makeup, and keep them smooth and chap-free with the gentle Bamboo Lip Peeling “refreshing mint” no. 02, made with the finest bamboo grains. dead skin flakes are gently removed and lips look visibly smoother. Thanks to the practical tube, application and dosage is particularly easy. With its skin compatibility that is dermatologically approved, the mineral oil-, paraben- and silicon-free Bamboo Lip Peeling with refreshing mint aroma is also the perfect companion for travels. Just simply apply to your lips and massage in. Then carefully remove the bamboo grains with a cloth.

Prime your lips to your favorite lipstick or lip gloss with the Beautifying Lip Primer “Creamy rose” no. 04.

With its pleasantly light texture that makes the lips softer, smoother and appear more even, this beautifying lip primer will leave your lips plump and ready for your favorite lip color. Its pink-colored tone gently balances out the natural lip color, allowing lipstick application much easier while providing a healthy and luscious looking pout.

Care for your lips with the 7 oils Lip

elixir. The formulation with seven valuable oils and fruit extracts provides intensive care for your lips, and leaves behind a pleasantly shiny and transparent finish. The 7 oils Lip elixir contains goji fruit extract, pomegranate fruit extract, peach extract, argan oil, prickly pear blossom extract, propolis extract and rosehip pulp extract. Thanks to the angled foam applicator, the oil is easy to apply. The 7 oils Lip elixir is completed by a sensuous fragrance in two shades that provide the perfect care: “Luxury orange” no. 07 and “rich rose” no. 15.

Give your lips a boost of moisture with the Hyaluronic Lip Filler “Pure moisture” no. 03 with subtle vanilla fragrance that leaves your lips looking visibly fuller and more voluminous.

Hyaluronic acid and marine collagen improve the moisture content of the lips. An innovative anti-ageing complex made from apple seed extract, olive and jojoba oil counters fine lines and wrinkles, giving your lips a subtle, neutral tone and radiant shine. The angled flocked applicator makes application easy too!

With all the lipstick trends and lip color rage happening all-around and at the same time, we tend to forget that the secret to luscious lips aren’t the secret formula to that on-trend lip color fluid or the intense matte lipstick, it’s simply your well-cared for, smooth and naturally vibrant lips.

All make up Factory products are dermatologically approved. make up Factory is exclusively distributed by rustan marketing Corporation and is available at Bonifacio High Street Boutique and leading Watson’s stores nationwide.

Follow @makeupfactoryph on Instagram and Facebook for instant updates and make up tutorials.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017

‘Cinemansanas’ awards Winners of the inaugural Cinemansanas, a campaign for aspiring and established artists who have

a vision in storytelling through film in the digital age.

Prize: P 20,000 worth of Power Mac Center gift cards OCAL film fans have new names + THE COOP IDEA 9000mAh Power Bank and Nifteen to watch out for as premier Apple backpack partner Power Mac Center awarded Diamond Award Balat Sibuyas by Don Diaz the bold, brave, and brilliant filmmakers Prize: iPad Pro 12.9” + THE COOP IDEA 9000mAh who showcased their digital storytelling Power Bank and Nifteen backpack prowess at the recently concluded Masterclass with Brillante Mendoza Brillante Mendoza Citation Award Pixelworx: Cinemansanas campaign.

Rito (The Rites) by Khalil Joseph Bañares The Cinemansanas main challenge was to create short Power Mac Center Citation Award films using an iPhone. This year’s competition has two 981 Million Thousand Dangkal by Lino Balmes categories: (1) “Do you have a minute?” open to everyone Gold Award who can create a 60-second film; and (2) Masterclass with Rito (The Rites) by Khalil Joseph Bañares Brillante Mendoza, exclusive to participants to awardPrize: P30,000 worth of Power Mac Center gift cards + winning director’s training sessions.

“Cinemansanas is Power Mac Center’s way of Wacom Intuos Draw Medium Platinum Award showcasing the brilliance of Filipino filmmakers. We Live Cam by Arjanmar Rebeta want to show that through technology, they can create Prize: P40,000 worth of Power Mac Center gift cards + a new way of presenting ideas and making their voices heard. We hope it will open doors for them to pursue their BOSE Soundlink Color II Diamond Award passion and push the industry further,” said Power Mac Kuya by Carlo Fajarda Center Marketing Director Joey Alvarez.

Prize: MacBook Pro 13” Retina + 4TB SEAGATE Twelve films made it to the finals of the “Do you have a minute?” competition, and all 21 finalists of the Back Up Plus Apart from the awarding ceremony, the Cinemansanas Masterclass with Brillante Mendoza category were screened during the Movie Premiere held at the SM Mall Movie Premiere also screened the winning film of Rebelde Film Camp Year 4, Paparating Na Ang Bagyo by of Asia Cinema.

Entries were judged based on creativity of presentation Ephraim Kawit. Part of Kawit’s prizes is a scholarship to and technical quality. Along with Mendoza, director Yam Mendoza’s Masterclass.

Completing the event was the much-awaited premiere Laranas, author and scriptwriter Ricky Lee, and Rebelde Film Camp founder J.E. Tiglao helped determine which of the Power Mac Center short film directed by Brillante films deserve the Cinemansanas Gold, Platinum, and Mendoza titled Bitbit, in celebration of the premier Apple reseller’s 23 glorious years in business.

Diamond awards.

Cinemansanas is part of the Pixelworx campaign, Following is the full list of winners for Cinemansanas 2017: Power Mac Center’s advocacy of recognizing artists who Do you have a minute? break the standards of the art scene. It is celebrated with Gold Award a series of workshops by industry experts, trainings on An Artist’s Ode by Krista Ortega Prize: P 10,000 worth of Power Mac Center gift cards creative apps, and an ultimate art challenge.

Cinemansanas 2017 was co-presented by Lacie, The + THE COOP IDEA 9000mAh Power Bank and Nifteen Coop Idea, Philips, Bose, Panzer Glass, Zerotech, and backpack Wacom. To view all the films, visit Power Mac Center on Platinum Award Facebook and Youtube.

Mayo Uno by Winston Salvejos

L

JoWaPao’s beautiful show JOSE Manalo, Wally Bayola, and Paolo Ballesteros are making our late mornings even more beautiful with a talk show that offers nothing but vibes. The three comedians, collectively known as JoWaPao to their millions of fans, are headlining a TV show called The Show.

Lolas’ Beautiful Show In an interview with Manila Standard, Jose Manalo revealed Standard that they were just informed a few weeks before they actually did the first taping for the talk show that he and his pals were chosen to host the program that would replace the millennial themed-series, Trops.

But the TV host-comedian said they didn’t think twice, because a new show means they have another venue to make their viewers laugh especially those who follow their characters in Eat Bulaga’s “Kalyeserye” – Lola Nidora, Lola Tinidora, and Lola Tidora.

Just like in “Kalyeserye” the three Lolas serve as human representations of clean fun and age-old values that never run out of style. The Lolas were human representations of clean fun and age-old values that never run out of style among Filipinos. They can talk to the older set and remind them lessons on life as well as engage the millennials in a lesson or two about adulting. Suffice to say that “relatability” among viewers is indeed the Lolas’ primary asset, making them the most sought-after trio that can “speak” to the hearts and minds of most Filipinos—as simple as turning sadness into positive vibes.

Asked if The Lolas’ Beautiful Show is just an extension of “Kalyeserye,” Manalo said that the new program is featuring the same characters but with an entirely different format.

“It’s so happens that we’re playing the same characters but there’s something serious about the talk show. Well, there’s the

Liza training seriously for ‘Darna’ role LIZA Soberano is in the thick of preparations for her new Darna movie.

“Yes!” she reveals. “My trainings are rigid at this point.

Imagine, I practice four times a week and it’s no joke. But I’m pleased with the results. I can confidently say that I’m ready when the cameras officially start grinding on November or December!”

In her biggest solo vehicle in the silver screen, the pretty lass is both glad and proud that some of her predecessors in playing the iconic Pinay superhero have given her their nod of approval.

“I’m really touched and humbled to know that Ms. Angel (Locsin), Ms. Marian (Rivera) and even Ms. Nanette (Medved) extended their warm good luck to me in top-billing the latest installation of Darna on the big screen.

Coming from them, it’s such an honor. I’m blessed to have obtained their approval. This serves as an inspiration and motivation for me to really deliver.

“Actually, Darna is a very

showing much skin. But I believe it is part of the challenges I have to face in accepting the role.

As the new Darna, I have to get out of my comfort zone and learn to be more comfortable with my challenging role for any actress. body and skin if I were to wear The character has been part of that iconic costume,” ends Liza. our pop culture for the longest time and the line-up of female ******** stars who portrayed it over the After six long years, Aga years are simply the cream of Muhlach is back on the silver the crop. I’m just so lucky to be screen via the latest Star Cingiven the chance to breathe life ema offering titled, Seven Sunto the role. I hope that I’ll be able days. to meet the general expectation “I’m happy to be part of this of the public. I promise to give it project,” he avers. “Actually, my best shot!” for a comeback vehicle, I reMany are curious on the cos- ally wanted a movie and this tume she’ll wear: will it be a sexy is an answered prayer. It’s a one or will it be adjusted to her huge honor to be directed by wholesome image?

Ms. Cathy Garcia-Molina and “Honestly, I’ve no idea at this share the screen with Dingdong point. We haven’t started shoot- (Dantes), Cristine (Reyes), ing yet. We just made a look test Enrique (Gil) and Mr. Ronsans the costume. Let’s wait un- aldo Valdez. I know I made the til it is presented. This early, I’m right decision in prioritizing excited. this film!”

“Personally, I would opt for a How about doing a regular more conservative costume. As TV show once again? much as possible, I don’t like “Well, it’s also a nice idea.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Wednesday, October 18, 2017

ACROSS 1 Musical sign 5 Portsider 10 Minority group 14 Non-soap opera 15 Hazard a guess 16 Get an earful 17 Weather outlook 18 River-mouth deposit 19 What — can I do?

20 Displaced person 22 Swelters 24 How — things?

25 Wooden strip 26 Travesty 30 Large snakes 34 Greenish-brown 35 What, in Seville 37 Wading bird 38 Columbus campus 39 Ms. Thurman of “Pulp Fiction” 40 Anger 41 Famed viol.

44 IRS month 45 Free to roam 47 Examine closely 49 Less approachable 51 Cheers for toreros

52 Friction easer 53 Postponed action 56 Rubdown 60 Tien Shan range 61 Horses’ strides 63 Roulette color 65 Names 66 Quiz-show VIP 67 Mend socks 68 Delhi nursemaid 69 Wait in line 70 Inspired poetry DOWN 1 Ford product 2 Fibber 3 Actress — Falco 4 Trumpet blast 5 Stuck 6 Touche provoker 7 Manicurist’s tool 8 Cable network 9 Every January 10 Put away a sword 11 Snaky fish 12 Select actors for 13 Very, to Yvette 21 Russian range 23 Word of honor 25 Asparagus units 26 Made a selection 27 Ill-considered

28 Poet’s blue 29 Social peers 31 Easy-to-find constellation 32 Leif’s language 33 Vile smile 36 Strike caller 42 Revoke 43 Cartoon chipmunk 45 Garlands 46 Disney city 48 Projecting ridges 50 Flipped a coin

53 “I did it!” (hyph.)

54 An astringent 55 Rum-soaked cake 56 Translucent mineral 57 — — foot pole 58 Spur on 59 Patrick’s domain 62 Lb. or tsp.

64 ER personnel

Brings back memories of my Oki Doki Doc days. But at this point in my life, I want to do more movies. In fact, after Seven Sundays, I’m scheduled to do another one. Shooting will commence next month.

I’m simply thrilled.”

Asked if he will permit his children Andres and Atasha to eventually join the ‘biz, the award-winning actor reveals: “I don’t see anything wrong if they enter the entertainment industry in the future. Actually, they receive offers as of now but Charlene (Gonzales) and I are hesitant to give them our consent. For one, they’re studying. I don’t want to disrupt their schooling due to showbiz commitments.

“I want my children to finish their studies. It’s still different when they’ve obtained a College Degree. Once they’ve graduated, I will let them decide if they want to become celebrities like their parents. But what’s definite is that I won’t decide for them!”

BEAUTIFUL LOLAS. (From left) Jose Manalo as Lola Tinidora, Wally Bayola as Lola Nidora, and Paolo Ballesteros as Lola Tidora usual antics of the Lolas but we or if we are already JoWaPao. I are featuring serious subjects think that’s the advantage of you only made entertaining because loving what you do. Even if your we’re in character,” Manalo said schedule is packed, you wouldn’t mind it because you’re working in vernacular.

True enough, from a decent with people who are just as crazy rating, the show now rules its as you,” Bayola shared.

With all the successes the timeslot proving that TV viewers are getting hooked to the late trio has been experiencing since they played Lola Nidora, Lola morning show each day.

“I think we have to take into Tinidora, and Lola Tidora, many consideration that a lot of people fans started calling them the new missed the Lolas. That’s why when TVJ (Tito, Vic and Joey). But the we heard about us hosting the trio just humbly dismissed the show, we didn’t think twice even comparison.

“TVJ is TVJ. Marami pa kaming if it was just a very short notice,” kelangan patunayan bago kame Paolo Ballesteros shared.

The three comedians feel that pwedeng ikumpara sa kanila. it wouldn’t be hard for them Alamat na ang TVJ at kame, to continue hosting the show nagsisimula pa lang,” Manalo even if they have other showbiz explained.

But given a chance, the trio commitments. The trio is preparing for an album and currently filming wants to have the TVJ in their a superhero hero movie that show. They think that’s going also features their well-loved to be a riot. They’ve got a lot of questions to TVJ that people would characters.

“We are already comfortable be interest to hear.

The Lolas’ Beautiful Show airs working together. Sometimes we can no longer distinguish if we weekdays at 11:30 a.m. just are still playing our characters before Eat Bulaga.

Isah V. Red, Editor Nickie Wang, Writer e (right) Le er isahred@gmail.com d n xa le A

ale atus, star at is

Kiko Matos is a user

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017

ISAH V. RED

ames Wright’s “Mahal Na Nga Kita”, from Let’s Fight, Ghost! which airs from Monday m his latest album Just Wright which also g “My Destiny” used as the theme song of the daptation of Korea’s top-rating program My ar. s available at Astroplus, Astro Vision and a.com, and also available on digital format tify, Amazon and over 160 digital stores

omes the single “Alaala” the theme song of My daughter, Geum Sa-weol. The program Fight Ghost, on GMA. The song is included itled debut album available on CDs and on orldwide. *** rdan Reantaso Villegas or fondly called y celebrated her 18th birthday with a grand, y given by her parents, Ariel and Girlie t Bali Gardens in Las Pinas City, the event y Magic’s family, relatives, classmates and

Magic was named after her dad’s NBA hard hael Jordan). She is a third year Tourism Salle University in Cavite. Her parents are AE. Her dad is the F&B head at Holiday Inn , while her mom works as Senior Coordinator ce at Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council. adiant that night wearing elegant white and e by her uncle, Wilson Reantaso.

Magic Villegas with her loving parents Ariel

fans Aga’s welcome his return to the movies

long last, Aga Muhlach is back!

And his fans trooped Kiko Matos with Manila Natures Link President Andy Lugtu to the cinemas when Seven Sundays opened Wednesday last week, and to “I AM a user,” controversial actor- all natural and is packed with vitamins, this day, remains a blockbuster. turned-Mixed Martial Artist Kiko minerals, essential amino acids,itand

AT

Matos admitted in an interview.

He said it is the reason why he manages to shoot for indie films 24 hours, hit the gym, and play MMA. It is a secret that Matos will gladly reveal.

“I am a user. A user of LifeOil,” says the Filipino-Portuguese actor who became popular after his highly publicized “bigwasan” match with actor Baron Geisler last year. This match also encouraged him to go into Mixed Martial Arts.

Matos learned about Malungai LifeOil from a friend. He took the capsules while training for his debut fight in August against Billy Jack Magana Sanchez for the Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC).

“Di siya nakapalag sa lakas ko at siya mismo nagsabi na nahirapan siya sa akin,” recalls Matos, who attributes his victory to his extensive training and LifeOil. Malungai LifeOil is the world’s first and only product developed from pure moringa oleifera (malunggay) seeds and leaves. The potent gel capsule is

OKI DOKI DOC! Former matinee idol Aga Muhlach stars in a new family drama along with the brightest stars of this generation

matinee idol can’t be happier. He had phytochemicals. Being The in former oil form doubts going makes it easier for the body toabout absorb it. back to facing the cameras, what with his struggle LifeOil has high levels with oflosing the extra pounds. Fortunately, the rolethe assigned chlorophyll, which cleanses organs,to him did not require a well-built man someone delivers oxygen to all or the tissues,with anda sculpted physique.

“No, I won’t stay that way,” he said about the encourages the growth ofBut, good aerobic fans saw in the movie. “I will be doing other intestinal bacteria. Itbody is many extremely and Imore will have to make myself physical fit for alkalizing which makesmovies the body thechlorophyll other roles I’ll resistant to disease. The inbe playing."

LifeOil also helps fight Aga heartMuhlach’s disease, coming home to Star Cinema was reasonobstructive for the film company to be doubly happy. And stroke, cancer, chronic the project, say the people behind the film, was the pulmonary disease, diabetes, dengue right project for an actor who has long stayed out of fever, kidney failure, perinatal the limelight.

As one of the most iconic leading men conditions and other health problems.

Cinema, “Kaya ako tumatagalofatStar malakas kasiit should be noted that the last fulllengthmasigla feature that user ako ng LifeOil. Kaya at Aga starred in was the romantic drama In The Name Of Love opposite Angel Locsin gumanda ang katawan ko,” adds Matos, in 2011. who recently starred in a Cinemalaya “In the last years, almost all the film offers were entry with Sharon Cuneta, Ang mostly love stories. I wanted to do something Pamilyang Hindi Lumuluha. different.

Kiko admits living clean all hisThe life.concept of a family centered movie greatly appealed to me and I was really very moved “Sa amin ako ang nagpapakain whenatI read ng alaga naming baboy hindithekoscript of Seven Sundays,” says Aga. yun ikinahihiya dahil Seven diyan Sundays namin teams Aga up with some of the nest actors – Dingdong Dantes, Enrique kinukuha ng nanay ko industry’s ang dailyfiliving Gil, Cristine Reyes, and Ronaldo Valdez. It is a allowance namin at pagpapaaral sa kapatid ko,” shares family Kiko. dramedy –Robbieabout four estranged siblings – Allan (Muhlach), Bryan (Dantes), Cha (Reyes) and Dex Pangilinan (Enrique Gil) –forced by their dying father, Manuel (Valdez), to revive their Sunday family get-togethers for the remaining months of his life. Now forced to spend time with each other, both comedy and chaos ensue as old family and sibling issues resurface as they all deal with their individual conflicts.

Aga’s Allan, is the eldest and is in constant conflict with Dingdong Dantes’ Bryan, considered as the second eldest in the family. Allan’s struggle is to make his his children and his father to be proud of him always doubting whether the choices makes are right or not.

Seven Sundays is a heartwarming film that reminds every Filipino that although not every family is perfect, one thing is constant – the love and affection that each family member has for each other despite the many differences they have among themselves.

“The movie has the right blend of drama and comedy.

The comedic sequences that we filmed were all very natural and nothing is contrived. I guess that’s the reason why these scenes are hilarious. The dramatic scenes on the other hand, will really touch the hearts of moviegoers. This movie teaches us that it’s normal for siblings to fight and have disagreements and that no family is perfect. The important thing is that the love of every family for each other must always, always prevail despite whatever problem they face with one another.”

Seven Sundays also stars Donita Rose, Kean Cipriano, Ketchup Eusebio, April Matienzo, Jeffrey Tam, Kyle Echarri, Kin Billote, Angelica and Angelee

Cruz, Gabriel Iribagon, and Alyanna Angeles.

Meanwhile, Dingdong Dantes also returns to the silver screen after the successful theatrical run of The Unmarried Wife in 2016.

Enrique Gil, on the other hand, teams up with Cathy Garcia-Molina once again after the mammoth success of My Ex And Whys in February.

Cristine Reyes was last seen on TV as one of the

Young heartthrob David Bornea headlines a Kapuso show in Singapore

celebrity contestants on I Can Do That, prior to her last film credit in her unforgettable cameo in the Vice Ganda super blockbuster hit Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy in 2013.

Ronaldo Valdez was last seen in the romantic flick All You Need Is Pag-ibig in 2015 and he is finally back in his element in this dramatic-comedy. *** GMA Pinoy TV is throwing in a mix of beauty, charm, and talent to the Kapuso October-Feast in Singapore on Oct. 22. It promises to be an event to remember, with Kapuso artists Glaiza de Castro, Ken Chan, Jak Roberto, and Dave Bornea.

The Kapuso Abroad will definitely feel closer to home as Filipinos in Singapore converge at the Nexus Auditorium, 2 p.m., to see their favorite GMA artists perform live with Singapore-based Pinoy performers as the front act.

Glaiza de Castro will perform songs off Magandang Simulain, her latest album. The heartthrobs in he hit romantic-comedy series Meant To Be, Ken Chan and Jak Roberto, along with Dave Bornea, will surely make fans scream with their surprising performances.

Organized by SingPhil Events and Services, Kapuso October-Feast is also made possible by GMA’s flagship international channel GMA Pinoy TV with the participation of StarHub. Ticket prices are at $35 (General Admission), $55 (Premium), and $100 (VIP). Fans can also get a chance to meet and greet the artists after the show for only $120.

For ticket inquiries, contact 874-95822, 938-29355, and 938-09803.

For more updates about Kapuso events abroad, just follow GMA Pinoy TV on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@gmapinoytv) or visit the GMA Pinoy TV official website at www.gmapinoytv.com.

Kantar says more Filipinos watched ABS-CBN shows in September ABS-CBN remained as the country’s top TV network with the most watched relevant news and values-oriented programs in September, recording an average audience share of 47 perent nationwide in both rural and urban homes, or 14 points higher compared with GMA’s 33 percent, based on data from Kantar Media.

The Kapamilya network also beat GMA in other areas like in Metro Manila where it enjoyed a 42 percent audience share versus GMA’s 28 percent,; in Total Luzon with 43 perent versus GMA’s 36 percent; in Total Visayas with 54 percent, beating GMA’s 27 percent; and in Total Mindanao with 54 percent versus GMA’s 30 percent.

Multinational audience

measurement provider Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,610 urban and rural homes that represent 100% of the total Philippine TV viewing population.

FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano (40.2 percent) celebrated its second anniversary at the top as it kept its spot as the most watched program in the country, thrilling more viewers as Cardo (Coco Martin) went on a heartpounding adventure to save his fellow Special Action Force members.

Next on the list is KathNiel’s La Luna Sangre (35.2 percent), which recently welcomed the return of Angel Locsin as Jacintha Magsaysay.

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN’s flagship news program TV Patrol (33.8 percent) remained

as the most watched news talent-talk show Little Big touching stories of Pinoy kids.

Also bringing inspiration to program in the country Shots (33.3 percent) also drew compared to rival show 24 more viewers last month as it audiences was MMK 25 (30.1 percent) with the the real-life stories of letter senders that reflect the lives of Filipinos.

Wansapanataym Presents: Amazing Ving (27.8 percent), which concluded last month, also inspired and taught values and lessons to young viewers nationwide.

The fierce fights and wild revelations in Wildflower (25.3 percent) continued to grip viewers in September and remained unbeaten in its timeslot.

Also securing a spot in Kapamilya shows dominated the numbers game based on the latest nathe top 10 are Home Sweetie tionwide ratings data provided by Kantar Media Home (23.7 percent) starring John Lloyd Cruz and Toni Oras (20.9 percent). impressed and inspired viewers Gonzaga, and Goin’ Bulilit Billy Crawford’s variety- with the remarkable talents and (21.2 percent) led by witty

and talented Kapamilya child stars.

ABS-CBN also won across all time blocks, particularly in primetime where it recorded an average audience share of 51 percent or a 20-point lead over GMA’s 31 percent. The primetime block is the most important part of the day when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investment in to reach more consumers effectively.

The Kapamilya network also garnered more viewers in the morning block (6 a.m.-12 nn) with 40 percent versus GMA’s 31 percent, the noontime block (12nn-3 p.m.) with 47 percent, compared to GMA’s 35 percent, and in the afternoon block (3-6 p.m.) with 43 percent, beating GMA’s 39 percent.